Commvault appoints Pranay Ahlawat as first CTAIO for AI focus

Commvault has announced the appointment of Pranay Ahlawat as its first Chief Technology and AI Officer (CTAIO). Ahlawat will be responsible for spearheading ongoing product and AI innovation, with a focus on helping customers navigate the evolving threat landscape.

Ahlawat will report to Rajiv Kottomtharayil, Chief Product Officer, and will oversee Commvault's product vision and development lifecycle. His focus will include advancing cyber resilience through modern AI technologies. Kottomtharayil expressed enthusiasm about Ahlawat's appointment, stating, "Pranay brings a wealth of industry expertise on how AI is evolving and revolutionising business operations. Commvault is excited to leverage his industry knowledge to transform our approach to AI, building advanced solutions that enhance our Data Management and Cyber Recovery Platform."

Ahlawat comes to Commvault with a rich background in AI, cloud and infrastructure software, business strategy, product development, and operations. Before joining Commvault, he held leadership roles at Boston Consulting Group (BCG), where he advised software and Software as a Service (SaaS) companies on cloud and infrastructure. At BCG, he also globally led the firm's thinking on the impact of Generative AI on software development and the product innovation and engineering topics.

"Organisations today are facing unprecedented levels of cyber threats and attacks and require innovative solutions that can help them stay ahead of bad actors and get the most value out of their data," said Ahlawat. "I’m thrilled to join Commvault and help build the next generation of cyber resilience solutions that address customers' most critical security challenges."

Commvault has positioned itself as a leading provider of cyber resilience and data protection solutions for the hybrid cloud. The company claims to offer the only cyber resilience platform that combines data security and rapid recovery at enterprise scale across any workload, anywhere, at the lowest total cost of ownership (TCO).

The appointment of Ahlawat as CTAIO underscores Commvault’s commitment to technological innovation and AI. As cyber threats continue to evolve, companies are under increasing pressure to adopt advanced technologies to safeguard their data. In this context, AI has emerged as a crucial tool in identifying and mitigating cyber risks.

Ahlawat's expertise in AI and his experience in advising companies on cloud and infrastructure software are expected to play a pivotal role in further enhancing Commvault's product offerings. His background in leading global initiatives on product innovation and engineering will likely contribute to advancing the company’s strategies in data management and cyber recovery.

Commvault’s move to appoint a Chief Technology and AI Officer indicates a strategic emphasis on integrating AI into their existing platforms to provide more robust and proactive cyber resilience solutions for their clients. This development comes at a time when cyber threats and data breaches are becoming increasingly sophisticated, necessitating a more advanced and preemptive approach to cyber defence.

The company currently serves over 100,000 organisations, helping them keep data safe and businesses resilient. With Ahlawat at the helm of its product and AI innovation, Commvault aims to stay at the forefront of technology, providing its customers with the tools needed to navigate the complex and dynamic cyber threat environment.