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Pravin Gandhi Professional Profile
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"Pravin
is one of the best folks I met with extremely clear
thoughts about what needs to be accomplished. A
practical and very down to earth person, Thinks
different and innovative. He communicates precisely and
to the point. I wish him great success in his career.”
Kiran Choudhary, SEI Certified SCAMPI Lead
Appraiser, SEI Authorized SCAMPI B Observer
more testimonials below |
Independent Software Marketing
Consultant
Pravin Gandhi has 32 years’
experience, of which 17 years have been with the TATAs
P ravin Gandhi has
a combination - of skills, from software development to
branding and marketing; from professional to
entrepreneurial experience.
He has led a product Development
& Marketing business unit with a country-wide distribution network; worked with advertising companies
and event managers; participated in
international exhibitions, conducted dealer and user
meetings, press conferences.
He has consulted on
productisation and distribution of software and go-to-market
strategy; and created his own software products.
See
Portfolio
for examples of work.
He has conducted
Training Workshop on Communication
Skills and counsels students
on education and career options. |
Key Skills:
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Software Products expert
- from concept to go-to-market
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Innovation Management
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Product Positioning & Branding
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Using Social
Media for Marketing
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Developing Marketing Communication
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Pravin Gandhi is a Master of Science in Industrial Engineering from Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, USA; and a Bachelor in Mechanical Engineering, from V.J.T.I., (Mumbai University)
Completed a mass online course on Leading Strategic Innovation from Vanderbilt University, USA
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Summary
After
completing Masters at the
Georgia Institute of Technology, Pravin Gandhi worked briefly as a Mechanical Engineer in automobile ancillary company in Detroit USA.
Returning to India, he started hi career as a computer programmer with Tata Consultancy Services (TCS). For 15 years - 1980 to 1995 - Pravin Gandhi worked with India's largest and most respected Information Technology Company. From 1990, he held the position of Head of the Product Software Group.
In 1995,
he became an entrepreneur, creating his own software
product, and an independent software product consultant.
From August 2008, he worked at Nihilent Technologies, a global IT solutions and services company based in Pune, India for two years.
From 2011-2012 he took up a 2-year full-time consulting
contract with CMC Ltd.
Jan 2011 - Jan 2013: CMC Ltd., Mumbai, India - a Tata group company
Full-time Consultant for Driving new initiatives:
Developing
and implementing Go-to-Market strategies for solutions in the Financial
Securities and SME-ERP domain |
Aug 2008 - June 2010: Nihilent Technologies Pvgt. Ltd., Pune, India
General Manager-Sector Coordinator for US, South Africa, UK-Europe and Middle
East. |
1980 - 1995: Tata Consultancy Services
Employed for over 15 years. From 1990
to 1995, held the position of Head
of the Products Group.
1990 - 1995:
Head
of
Products Group, having P & L
responsibility;
responsible for development, sales,
marketing,
communication, advertising, promotion,
dealer
network and customer support
of several products
including the
"world's
friendliest business accounting
software E.X." which
created a revolution in software products marketing in India.
- Created country-wide tiered
distribution network
- Launched E.X. the path-breaking
business accounting software
- Exhibited products at trade shows in
USA and Germany; introduced in UK and
Denmark; launched in Sri
Lanka
1980 - 1990: Programmer - Analyst - Project Leader:
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member of team that
developed
the first on-line
software for an overseas client by an Indian
company
- Managed the Overseas Branch
Reconciliation, Value Dating of Vostro accounts, and Foreign Exchange
Dealer Room software for two large
Indian banks
- Designed the Savings Account part of
the complete Banking system for a UK
bank
- led the development of
the first software
package on the personal computer in
India,
the Masterkey Business Management System
Overseas deputations:
1994: London, to
introduce Euro-version of product
1994: Copenhagen,
to initiate Danish version of E.X.
1993: Sri Lanka,
for launch of TCS’ E.X. software product
1992: COMDEX, Chicago,
USA: Exhibitor
1991: Nairobi, Kenya
- Distributor Appointment
1988: CeBit, Hanover,
Germany: Exhibitor
1987: Bahrain -
product feasibility
1985: Plymouth, U.K.,
Banking Project for Western Trust & Savings Bank
1984: Plymouth, U.K.,
Design of the Savings Account Module for Western Trust & Savings Bank
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"Pravin
is a great product manager who understands the
marketplace, has deep technical skills with his product
set, is very quality conscious, manages schedules and
delivers on time and commands respect from his team.
Pravin is loyal and trustworthy with deep moral values.”
- Suresh Kripalani, Service Area Leader, IBM,
Washington DC, USA; was Pravin Gandhi's manager TCS
1985-1990
Pravin Gandhi at a Press Conference to
announce release of a TCS Masterkey product.
Then EVP Mani Subramnaiam and Regional
Manager Suresh Kripalani watch in rapt
attention
Hon'ble Minister for Information and
Broadcasting Mr. Tyron Fernando and
Pravin Gandhi at the launch
of E.X. in Sri Lanka. Partner Kithsiri
Manchanayake watches.
Pravin
Gandhi and software products marketing
leading light LC Singh on the cover of
Software Review.
more testimonials below
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1979: Working in USA
Pravin Gandhi worked in Detroit, USA as Mechanical Engineer
for auto ancillary manufacturing company.
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Pravin Gandhi has considerable
experience in creating branded
software products.
At one time, two of the
3 Best Buys rated by
CHIP Magazine
were his creations. As
consultant, he has advised several software developers in
creating products, or "productising" their custom-software.
Pravin
Gandhi was the creator of the personal investment software nVEST,
the first investment software for the family.
His latest product/service is the web-based,
on-line investment
portfolio
organiser application on www.JusKeepingTrack.com
which helps an individual
organise and track investments in stocks and mutual funds
for the entire family, for a nominal annual subscription.
Besides his own products, Pravin Gandhi was responsible
for several products from Tata Consultancy Services. Pravin
Gandhi has also professionally advised software developers
on creating software products. For a complete list of all
products, see
Products Expertise.
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“I was associated with Pravin bhai
since the TCS EX accounting software which had
revolutionized SME segment for their business application
needs. He was the product manager for EX during that period.
We had also worked together to successfully launch another
quality product nVest - personal investment software for the
family. During my association with him for this entire
period, I had an opportunity to know Pravin bhai as not only
a Technocrat who understands whats and hows of any product
but also as a marketing guru who knows the pulse of any
given market segment and accordingly delivers a product.
Needless to say, it's been a fantastic experience to know
Pravin bhai professionally and also personally.”
Dharmendra Sharma, Senior
Manager at Siemens Information Systems Ltd.; was Distributor
for TCS products and then for Pravin Gandhi's product
more testimonials below
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Pravin Gandhi has
been consulted for product marketing strategy, introducing
social media marketing, web-content, designing executive
information systems and intranet applications; Company and
Product Positioning; Branding; creating interactive
Multimedia CD-ROM and Marketing Communication. See
Portfolio for samples and examples of work.
Company |
Nature of Consulting |
CMC Ltd., a TATA Group company |
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Created a Capital Market business practice and a
Cloud Solutions practice; Launched solutions on the
cloud for small-medium enterprises |
Bombay Stock Exchange Ltd |
Web-content planning and redesign for bseindia.com |
Hetpan Overseas |
Company Identity; Multimedia CD for marketing communication |
Sun Pharmaceutical Industries Ltd. |
Portal Development; Created Lotus-Notes-based intranet applications; CD-ROM for public awareness on
lifestyle diseases and disorders in Cardiology, Psychiatry and Diabetes |
Nihilent technologies Pvt. Ltd. |
Branding, launching and distribution of their web
publishing software |
Financial Technologies Ltd. |
Wrote Blueprint for creating Products |
Dorabjee Infotech Pvt. Ltd. |
Consulting for positioning,
branding,
packaging, developing marketing communication,
advertising and dealer recruitment; developing an
Executive Information System |
Alneesha Software Pvt. Ltd. |
Consulting for conversion of custom-software
to product; positioning, packaging, developing marketing
communication and advertising. |
Business Process Council (as
member of board) |
Creating identity; writing
web-content, brochures, flyers, call for papers,
delegate invites, conference theme, etc. |
"I have had various valuable
experiences with Pravin Gandhi while I was a service
provider/developer and he a consultant at Sun
Pharmaceuticals Ltd for some IT initiatives; and next, while
developing his on-line personal investment product "Jus'
Keeping Track" for him. It was a great learning experience
from IT Technology, Marketing, and Graphical User Interface
point of view and the expertise that Pravin Gandhi possesses
in the same field. He is meticulous, knowledgeable,
experienced. He never looses focus of the strategic
objective. I would always look for his valuable guidance."
Chandan Bagwe, Managing Director at
C Com Enterprises Pvt. Ltd.; developed solutions and Product
for Pravin Gandhi
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Pravin Gandhi wrote
a
serial column
for the Express Computer
weekly on the subject of
Software Marketing, besides writing guest columns for
other magazines.
He has also
developed
Marketing
Communication (brochures, flyers, advertising copy,
press releases, invitations, call for papers, case studies, etc.).
See
Portfolio for examples of work.
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Pravin Gandhi conducted workshops on
Communication Skills and
Personality Development
for a global IT solutions and consulting company .
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®:
Jus' Keeping Track is a Registered
Trademark
of Pravin Gandhi Consulting Services
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