Gopi Balakrishnan

About Gopi Balakrishnan

My name is Gopi. I’m a technology and operations executive with 30+ years of driving business growth, product innovation, and digital transformation across the clean tech, energy, oil & gas, renewables, and industrial automation sectors. My career spans both global enterprises (GE, ABB, TCS) and fast-paced startups (FlexGen), where I’ve led product development, engineering, operations, and business development, delivering innovative technologies and products to market.I’m passionate about people, innovation, and technology that moves industries forward. I help bridge the gap between entrepreneurs and corporations, working with energy, mining, and minerals companies to implement transformative solutions in IoT, asset performance management, and Industry 4.0. With a strong background in controls engineering, software development, and operational excellence, I thrive on bringing functional, scalable solutions from concept to commercialization.Highlights: Global leadership in product, engineering, and cross-functional operations Proven track record in new product introduction, business scale-up, and market growth Deep expertise in mergers & acquisitions, strategic planning, and business turnaround Strong technical foundation in IoT, data analytics, machine learning, and control systemsIf you catch me outside of work, you’ll find me on the cricket pitch, tennis court, or golf course, exploring nature on a run or hike, or enjoying music, photography, and philosophy.Connect with me today!

Experience

1. Program Director

   Tata Consultancy Services

   Jan 2022 — Present · Houston, TX, US

   In my current role as a Program Director, I: • Direct enterprise-wide IT and business transformation initiatives for a global distribution company overseeing 700+ warehouses and 11M+ SKUs, effectively aligning daily operations with long-term strategic objectives to drive scalable growth and efficiency.• Lead end-to-end delivery of complex digital systems across Front, Mid, and Back office functions, ensuring successful rollout across multiple warehouse and sales operations.• Build and execute a comprehensive data migration framework from legacy systems, including strategy development, multi-phase testing, runbook creation, and dashboard visualization.• Enable simultaneous multi-site transformation by streamlining operational workflows, implementing automation, and leading continuous improvement initiatives to support scalable growth.• Own post-launch Hypercare activities to ensure seamless transition, minimize disruptions, and sustain operational excellence across all migrated facilities.

Education

• Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute

  MS, Electric Power Eng

  1997 — 1998

• The Wharton School

  Executive education - Chief Technology Officer, Technology Management

• College of Engineering Trivandrum

  B Tech, Electrical Engineering

  1991 — 1995

Skills

• Engineering
• Power Generation
• Gas Turbines
• Turbines
• Renewable Energy
• Wind
• Lean Manufacturing
• Wind Turbines
• Electricians
• Program Management
• Testing
• Product Development
• Generators
• Process Improvement
• Product Management
• Control Systems Design
• Gas
• Quality Management
• Steam Turbines
• Electricity
• Leadership
• Business Process Improvement
• Manufacturing
• Six Sigma
• Engineering Management