Hexaware Technologies has been certified by Analytics India Magazine (AIM) as a Best Firm for Forward-Deployed Engineering (FDE) talent to work for. The recognition follows an anonymous employee survey that awarded the company an overall score of 8.42/10.

The assessment focused on the experience of AI architects within the company's Forward-Deployed Engineering practice. Feedback was collected from 129 Hexaware AI architects who were developed through the company's internal AI Academy and Architecture Fellowship programs. This certification serves as an external benchmark for the environment Hexaware provides to professionals in customer-facing, production-oriented roles.

Assessment methodology and scores

AIM's evaluation process utilizes an anonymous survey covering 33 statements rated on a five-point scale, which are then normalized to a 10-point score. The assessment measures performance across five key areas: customer and solution alignment; FDE delivery excellence and ownership; growth and learning; inclusion and belonging; and psychological safety.

Hexaware achieved high marks in specific operational and cultural metrics. The table below details the top-performing individual measures disclosed in the press release:

Vinod Chandran, Chief Operating Officer at Hexaware, stated that forward-deployed engineering is where technology meets customer business reality. He emphasized that the goal is to provide teams with context, autonomy, and support to solve problems and ensure accountability for outcomes. Chandran noted that the certification is meaningful because it originates directly from the employees performing this work.

Talent development strategy

Tony Mohanty, Executive Vice President and Global Head of Talent Management at Hexaware, highlighted that strong FDE talent cannot be built through one-time training. Instead, it requires deep technical learning, exposure to real-world problems, mentoring, and repeated application opportunities. The company's AI Academy and Architecture Fellowship are designed around these principles, with the recent feedback serving as a measure of how these investments translate into employee experience.

What the numbers show

The data reveals a strong correlation between technical delivery standards and employee satisfaction. The highest individual score of 8.80 was recorded for "outcome-based success measurement," closely followed by "production readiness" at 8.74. This suggests that the workforce values clear accountability for results and the ability to deploy solutions into live environments. The narrow gap between these technical execution metrics and the overall score of 8.42 indicates that delivery excellence is a primary driver of positive sentiment among the surveyed AI architects.

Hexaware Technologies has appointed Neeraj Kumar as Executive Vice President and Global Head of Travel and Transportation, effective October 1, 2026. This strategic move aims to strengthen the company's presence in the global travel sector by leveraging deep industry expertise.

Kumar joins from Tata Consultancy Services (TCS), where he served as Business Unit Head of Travel, Transportation, Logistics, and Hospitality. His appointment marks a significant shift in Hexaware's senior management structure within the IT services domain.

Leadership transition details

Concurrently, Eswaran Venkatachalam will transition from his role as EVP and Global Head of Travel and Transportation to become the EVP and Global Head of Zero Tech Debt. This internal reassignment allows Hexaware to redistribute leadership focus across key service offerings while maintaining continuity in the travel vertical through new external talent.

Profile of new appointee

Neeraj Kumar brings over two and a half decades of experience from TCS, managing a substantial clientele across the Americas. His portfolio included airlines, rail, airports, logistics, and hospitality sectors. He holds a Bachelor of Engineering in Electronics & Telecommunication from North Maharashtra University and completed an Executive Leadership Program at the University of Michigan - Stephen M. Ross School of Business.

His expertise spans IT and business process outsourcing contract negotiations, large-scale financial management, and strategic planning. Kumar participated in over 100 significant deals in the IT and BPO industries, focusing on outsourcing, transformation, and modernization initiatives.

Continuity in existing leadership

Eswaran Venkatachalam has been associated with the company since October 1998. He holds a Bachelor of Science degree in chemistry from Madurai Kamaraj University and a postgraduate diploma in computer applications. In his new capacity as Global Head of Zero Tech Debt, he will be responsible for service offerings globally. Prior to joining Hexaware, he was associated with Colt Computer Centre Private Limited and Square D/DSQ Software Limited.