Chennai: Ramco Systems has promoted Sandesh Bilagi as its Chief Executive Officer, handing him the mandate to accelerate international expansion and steer the enterprise software company’s transition towards becoming AI-native.
Bilagi moves into the top role from his position as President and Chief Operating Officer. During his tenure as COO, he played a key role in Ramco’s operational turnaround, which saw the company deliver six consecutive quarters of operating profit through FY2026.
The company said the leadership transition comes as Ramco shifts its focus from restoring profitability to building sustained, profitable growth at a global scale.
In his new role, Bilagi has outlined two key priorities. The first is to deepen Ramco’s presence in established international markets and strengthen its go-to-market capabilities across HR and Global Payroll, Aviation, ERP, Logistics and Chia. The second is to embed artificial intelligence at the core of the company’s products, delivery systems and internal operations.
“It is a privilege to lead Ramco at a defining moment. We have done the hard work of restoring profitability and sharpening execution; the task now is to sustain that rigour and convert our strength into growth at scale,” Bilagi said.
He added that Ramco’s AI strategy would go beyond adding the technology to existing products, with the company looking to rethink how solutions are designed, delivered and operated to create measurable outcomes for customers.
Bilagi has had a long association with Ramco Systems and founded its Australia and New Zealand business, which has since grown into one of the company’s strongest markets. He has held responsibilities across sales and operations, navigated two leadership transitions and helped steer the business through the operational challenges of the COVID-19 period.
Having lived and worked across India, China and Australia, Bilagi brings extensive exposure to the Asia-Pacific market. His career includes closing major engagements valued at more than $550 million with leading Australian corporations. Before joining Ramco, he held leadership roles at HCL Technologies and Tech Mahindra.
Commenting on the appointment, P.R. Venketrama Raja, Chairman, Ramco Systems, said the company’s six consecutive quarters of operational profit reflected a genuine turnaround rather than a one-time correction.
“Sandesh has been central to that journey. He understands our customers, our markets and our people, and he has consistently demonstrated the judgement to make difficult decisions and the resilience to see them through,” Raja said.
P.V. Abinav Ramasubramaniam Raja, Managing Director, Ramco Systems, described Bilagi as a leader who combines a “builder’s instinct with an operator’s rigour”. He said Bilagi had demonstrated this by building the ANZ business from the ground up and later bringing the same ownership to the company-wide turnaround.
As Ramco enters its next growth phase, the company will focus on expanding globally while integrating AI more deeply across both its product portfolio and business operations.
Bilagi is a Chartered Accountant from the Institute of Chartered Accountants of India and a CPA from CPA Australia. He also holds a Bachelor of Commerce degree from Karnatak University, Dharwad.
