Hari Varrier

About Hari Varrier

Seasoned Technology & Business Leader operating at the intersection of deep technology, product innovation, and strategic business growth | IoT, AI/ML, Agentic/Edge AI, Smart Products | Product Management | Innovation | StrategyWith 26 years of experience combining business management acumen, technical expertise, and an entrepreneurial mindset, consistently leading innovation across industries including Semiconductors, Consumer Electronics, Lighting, FMEG, and Utilities.Proven ability to build products from concept to market, overseeing new product development (NPD), open innovation, solution architecting, and engineering. Expertise in navigating complex engineering and product development processes, delivering superior products and creating strong value chains.Key Expertise Areas:IoT & AI/ML Product Lifecycle Management: Leading the design and development of connected devices and smart solutions across Consumer Devices, Power, Water, Cities, and Environment sectors.Secure, Privacy-First Connected ArchitecturesSystems Development & Solutions Engineering: Managing system development life cycles, enabling ecosystem creation, and driving business growth through strategic initiatives and partnerships.Smart Lighting Solutions: Innovating in Smart & Connected Lighting, with a focus on energy efficiency, light quality, and data-driven insights.Innovation & Ecosystem Building: Creating IoT, AI/ML, VR/AR/MR ecosystems for consumer devices and utility use cases, fostering strong IHV/ISV partnerships and technology frameworks.Business Strategy & Digital Transformation: Driving business growth through GTM plans, strategic partnerships, M&A, and technology due diligence.Leadership & Talent Development: Leading high-performing teams, overseeing project planning, and ensuring timely, high-quality project deliveries.Social Innovation & Entrepreneurship: Crafting innovative business models using IoT and AI to deliver sustainable solutions and drive impactful change.Specialized in strategic planning, consumer research, market analysis, and delivering smart products with high-quality standards and data security. Strong communicator and leader with the ability to inspire teams and influence business decisions, ensuring results-oriented success.

Experience

1. Sr Vice President - Smart & Connected Products

   Havells India Ltd

   Mar 2019 — Present · Bengaluru, IN

   Driving IoT, AI, and Agentic AI technologies to deliver smart, connected products across smart homes, building automation, lighting systems, security solutions, and industrial switchgears. Proven expertise in developing, launching, and scaling connected products with a strong focus on IoT product strategy and execution.Connected Products Vision & RoadmapLeading a unified vision and product roadmap across Smart Home/Consumer IoT, Professional Lighting, and Industrial IoT. Integrating AI and Agentic AI to enable autonomous decision-making, adaptive control, predictive intelligence, and intelligent orchestration across connected ecosystems.Product Management & Technology StrategyOwning strategy and execution for IoT product portfolios, spanning product management, platform strategy, and ecosystem development. Driving market-led innovation aligned with business goals, scalability, and long-term value creation.Capability Building & Innovation LeadershipBuilding core IoT capabilities across sensors, devices, gateways, hubs, edge AI, edge computing, cloud platforms, analytics, and visualization. Driving reusable architectures, innovation, and knowledge-sharing within Havells’ Centre for Research and Innovation.Technical & Thought LeadershipProviding deep technical leadership across sensor technologies, embedded systems, connectivity platforms, and wireless IoT protocols. Expertise in public cloud, edge computing, AI/ML frameworks, and Agentic AI, with a focus on secure, scalable, high-quality solutions.GTM & Business GrowthDriving GTM strategy for successful launches, including market research, positioning, sales enablement, and customer engagement. Championing AI-driven innovation to unlock new growth opportunities and deliver customer-centric value.

Education

• The Certified Coach Alliance & Symbiosis Coaching

  Certified Leadership Coach, Executive and Leadership Coaching

  2015 — 2016

• Karnatak University

  Bachelor of Engineering (B.E.)

  1994 — 1998

• Indian Institute of Management, Kozhikode

  Doctor of Philosophy - PhD

• St. Berchmans College, Changanassery

  Pre Degree, Physics, Chemistry, & Mathematics

• Indian Institute of Management, Kozhikode

  Master of Business Administration - MBA, Marketing & Strategy

  2011 — 2013

• Birla Institute of Technology and Science, Pilani

  Master of Science (M.S.), Software Engineering

  2003 — 2005

Skills

• Consumer Electronics
• Software Development
• Device Drivers
• Customer Engagement
• Field-Programmable Gate Arrays (Fpga)
• Management
• Business Development
• Linux
• Rtos
• Digital Signal Processors
• Software Project Management
• Operations Management
• Product Innovation
• Digital Tv
• Ic
• Soc
• Program Management
• Fpga
• Executive Coaching
• Technology Scouting
• Product Strategy
• Set Top Box
• System on a Chip (Soc)
• C
• Real-Time Operating Systems (Rtos)
• Organizational Behavior
• Product Management
• New Business Development
• New Business Opportunities
• Business Strategy
• Open Innovation
• Microprocessors
• Audio Processing
• Firmware
• Embedded Systems