Persistent Systems

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Shaping the future of software driven business
52 • Annual Report 2018-19
Dr. Anand Deshpande is the Founder, Chairman,
and Managing Director of Persistent Systems since
its inception and is responsible for the overall
leadership, strategy, and management of the
Company.
Anand holds a B.Tech. (Hons.) in Computer Science
and Engineering from the Indian Institute of
Technology (IIT), Kharagpur, and an M.S. and Ph.D.
in Computer Science from Indiana University,
Bloomington, Indiana, USA. He has been conferred
with an Honorary D. Litt. by Tilak Maharashtra
University, Pune in 2018.
As a true technology visionary, Anand’s
strengths lie in identifying and investing in next-
generation technologies and encouraging internal
entrepreneurship to ensure that Persistent Systems
stays at the forefront of technology innovation. He
has been the driving force in growing Persistent
Systems from its inception in 1990, to the publicly
traded global Company of today.
He has been recognized by his alma mater, IIT
Kharagpur, as a Distinguished Alumnus in 2012 and
by the School of Informatics of Indiana University
with the Career Achievement Award in 2007. Prior
to founding Persistent Systems, Anand began his
professional career at Hewlett-Packard Laboratories
in Palo Alto, California, where he worked as Member
of Technical Staff from May 1989 to October 1990.
Anand has, over the years, served numerous
positions at various professional and non-profit
organizations viz. NASSCOM’s Executive Council,
ACM (Association for Computing Machinery) India,
where he was the first President, SEAP (Software
Exporters’ Association of Pune), Pune Chapter of
CSI (Computer Society of India), CII’s Pune Zonal
Council, Executive Committee of MCCIA, the Dean’s
Advisory Council in the School of Informatics,
Computing and Engineering of Indiana University
and as a Trustee in the Computer History Museum
in Mountain View California. Currently, he serves as
a Trustee of Persistent Foundation, and is a part-
time Member of UIDAI, Government of India.
Anand is a founding member of iSPIRT, India’s
first product think tank, started with the vision of
creating a vibrant entrepreneurial ecosystem in
India, and a founder member of Inter Institutional
Inclusive Innovations Center (i4C). i4C is an
independent, non-profit entity which acts as a
platform to proactively scout, showcase, and
handhold technology innovations, especially aimed
at the base of the pyramid.
With members of his family, he has established the
deAsra Foundation ( ), a social venture
that focuses on creating self-employment at scale.
Over the last four years, the deAsra Foundation
has supported more than 25,000 entrepreneurs.
In 2018, his efforts were recognized by Forbes by
including him in the Forbes Asia Philanthropy List.
Anand is married to Sonali and they have a daughter
and a son.
Christopher (Chris) O’Connor is the Chief Executive
Officer at Persistent Systems since February
2019 and Executive Director since April 2019 and
is responsible for the strategic direction of the
Company.
Until recently, Chris led the Internet of Things
business unit at IBM, including roles as its General
Manager, Head of Sales, and Head of all software
R&D. He has been the founding strategist, leader,
and industry wide innovator of IBM IoT. His prior
roles in IBM have centered around building new
businesses for IBM such as Systems Management,
IBM Commerce and Financial Software, and
founding the IBM Smart Cities software and services
business. He also has led network hardware R&D in
the start-up community both exiting and returning
to IBM in that tenure.
Dr. Anand Deshpande
Chairman and
Managing Director
Christopher O’Connor
Executive Director and
Chief Executive Officer