Home

Profile

Products Expertise

Consulting 

Portfolio

P.G. in the Press

Right-Brain Interests

Contact

Visitors Book
 


Pravin Gandhi Professional Profile 
  Follow pravingandhino1 on Twitter     Follow pravingandhino1's travel blog on Blogger   Follow pravingandhino1's right-brain blog on Wordpress    

"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

Pravin 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:   l  Software Products expert - from concept to go-to-market   l  Innovation Management

l  Product Positioning & Branding   l  Using Social Media for Marketing   l  Developing Marketing Communication

Education

Employment

Software Products Specialist

Consulting

Writing

Training

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

Top

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:

- 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

 

"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

1979:  Working in USA

Pravin Gandhi worked in Detroit, USA as Mechanical Engineer for auto ancillary manufacturing company.

Top



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.
 

“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

Top

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  

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

Top

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.

Top

Pravin Gandhi conducted workshops on Communication Skills and Personality Development for a global IT solutions and consulting company .

Top

®: Jus' Keeping Track is a Registered Trademark of Pravin Gandhi Consulting Services                                 


Home | Profile | Products | Portfolio
Right Brain Interests | Contact | Visitor Book


Site Designed By: Tetractys Technologies