About InnovaCatalyst
InnovaCatalyst enable businesses to turn everyday challenges into opportunities—unlocking efficiency, accuracy, and resilience. You get personalized support, strategic insights, and transformational expertise that pave the way for sustainable success in an ever-changing digital world.
Let’s build a smarter future together.
FOUNDER & PROMOTER
MANISH KUMAR RAVI
LLB, MBA, MCA, B.Sc.
CISSP*, CISA*, ITIL (F)*, MCSD*, PMP (Trained)
Technology Enthusiast | Innovation Catalyst
Diversity & Wellbeing Champion
InnovaCatalyst is founded by Manish Kumar Ravi, a seasoned leader with over 25 years of hands-on experience delivering sustainable business outcomes across global enterprises. He has consistently championed quality, efficiency, and effectiveness through innovative technology solutions, design-thinking, and process re-engineering that elevate organizational capabilities and operational excellence.
Combining deep industry experience with a successful Big 4 consulting tenure, Manish has partnered with a diverse portfolio of marquee global and local clients, across listed and unlisted entities, earning trust through high-impact, execution-focused delivery. He has led and transformed Global Business Services and Shared Service Centers into Centers of Excellence, aligning business strategy with growth and cost objectives while managing large-scale programs and cross-functional teams.
Manish is personally committed to positioning InnovaCatalyst as a trusted partner for innovative, results-driven, and ethically grounded IT advisory and consulting services.
Our Leadership Team
InnovaCatalyst is guided by a seasoned leadership team with decades of experience across IT advisory, governance, risk and compliance, cloud, AI, and managed services. They combine deep domain expertise with forward-looking thinking, reimagining how modern technology can unlock resilient, sustainable business models. Rooted in strong professional ethics, the team is driven by a purpose beyond profitability—using digital innovation to elevate stakeholder trust, nurture talent, and contribute to broader social upliftment through inclusive, impact-led transformation.
Sameer Bahalkar
Co-Founder & Partner
BE, MBA (IT), CISA | Executive Leader | IT Governance, Risk & Compliance | Strategic Advisor
Sameer is a strategic leader with over 22 years of experience in IT Governance, Risk, Compliance, and Assurance across regulated industries. He transforms compliance into a business enabler of trust and growth, guiding Fortune 500 companies through complex regulatory landscapes.
With leadership roles at KPMG, Diageo, Eaton, Wipro, EXL, and IBM, he is recognized for embedding governance into business strategy. An MBA and ISB CTO Program graduate, Sameer is a trusted advisor passionate about governance maturity and sustainable transformation.
Rakesh Dandu
Co-Founder & Partner
MS(IT), MBA*, MPhil-CS., EdTech Leader | Capability Ecosystems Builder | Applied Psychometrics & AI for Product Design | Author
Rakesh Dandu is a seasoned AI and education leader with over 22 years of global experience spanning AI-driven product strategy, psychometrics, and transformational learning initiatives. He has led large-scale technology and quality programs at GE and the NYC Board of Education and built impactful edtech and wellness ventures as Founder. As a certified psychometric counselor, author and master trainer, Rakesh brings a rare blend of technical depth, human behavior insight and entrepreneurial execution to InnovaCatalyst’s AI-led innovation and education-focused solutions.
Rekha Dey
Partner - Sports & CSR
Rekha Dey is a Sport Development professional with over 23 years of experience in international partnership development, sports research, program implementation and monitoring & evaluation.
An Economics graduate from St. Xavier's College and alumna of the Indian Institute of Foreign Trade, she has held leadership roles with the Australian Sports Commission, IOC's Olympism365 Innovation Hub and the ITTF Foundation. A U.S. Department of State IVLP alumna, she has delivered guest lectures at Leeds Beckett University. Rekha has driven impactful sport-for-development and climate action programs across India and globally.
At InnovaCatalyst, she brings a rich perspective on sustainable development, social innovation and cross-sector partnerships.
Shalil Nair
Partner - Human capital advisory and Organisational excellence
Shalil is a seasoned Human Resources professional with over 30 years of experience spanning executive search, HR advisory, talent acquisition and organisational development.
An MPM graduate from Symbiosis International University, he has led HR functions across diverse sectors including non-profits, social enterprises and MSMEs, holding senior roles at TechnoServe, Husys Consulting and Social Synthesis. Shalil brings deep expertise in people strategy, compensation management and HRIS implementation.
At InnovaCatalyst, he strengthens our human capital advisory and organisational excellence practice.
Prajwal Zende
Partner - Software Licensing & Procurement | Strategic Advisory
Prajwal is a proven leader in software licensing and commercial negotiations with over 26 years of experience across multinational technology and healthcare organizations. He has led strategic procurement and contracts functions at Oracle, Philips Health-Tech, IBM India, and GE Consumer & Industrial, driving regional and global programs to standardize licensing, strengthen compliance, and reduce commercial risk.
Prajwal has partnered with more than 50 clients to optimize software estates, negotiate favorable commercial terms, and manage OEM audits, delivering cumulative savings exceeding $150 million. He combines deep licensing expertise with pragmatic negotiation strategies and strong stakeholder management to balance compliance, risk, and cost. Recognized for building cross-functional alignment, he designs repeatable procurement playbooks, mentors teams, and helps organizations stay audit-ready while extracting greater value from vendor relationships.