Sharan Kantikar: Inside Telecom Innovation

Innovation doesn’t happen spontaneously and by itself but rather grows from an open mind of a future thinker. Meet Sharanayya Kantikar – Head of Tietoevry Create India Telecom, who ushers forward our industry competence center.

Sharan joined Tietoevry Create as Head of Digital Innovations, where he initiated asset development that led to customer acquisitions, strengthened the market position, and elevated the Digital Innovations India unit. He is an expert in Telecom, Datacom, and Wireless technologies, specializing in network infrastructure, protocol engineering, and next-gen connectivity. With strong business scaling experience, Sharan became Head of Telecom when Tietoevry planned expansion of its Telecom unit in India.

The opportunity to innovate has been fascinating

The freedom to drive innovation and shape his team has been the most compelling aspect of Sharan’s role at Tietoevry. He asserts, "We cultivate an open ecosystem for ideation, encouraging new ideas to evolve into marketable solutions. As leaders, we create an environment that blends structure with agility, empowering individuals to operate with entrepreneurial freedom and make a meaningful impact."

Sharan highlights the significant role of advanced technologies like mMIMO, AI-driven network automation and edge computing, noting that innovations are transforming the telecom connectivity experience for both businesses and consumers. At Tietoevry, he has led the implementation of Telecom ODC setup and established high-value partnerships. These experiences have underscored the importance of balancing immediate execution with long-term strategic planning to achieve sustainable business impact.

Scaling up Telecom unit and mentoring new talent

Sharan is eager to grow the Telecom team in India, enhancing their role in global projects at Tietoevry Create. Collaborating with major telecom players is exciting, and he finds building an innovative, high-performance team in the evolving telecom industry equally thrilling.

“As part of continued collaboration with our Nordic counterparts, we have established a Telecom Delivery Center in Bangalore, which serves as a strategic hub for advanced 5G RAN development, integration, and optimization efforts,” says Sharan expressing confidence in the strong global teamwork and knowledge exchange within Tietoevry Create. He views the Telecom team expansion as a chance to build a robust technical culture and mentor the next generation of telecom engineers in India.

With close to three decades of experience in telecom and IT, Sharan is dedicated to mentoring engineers, leaders, and managers, guiding them through the complexities of the tech landscape. He prioritizes problem-solving, knowledge sharing and leadership development to ensure his team can operate independently and innovatively. Whether it is 5G, ORAN, or network automation, he promotes continuous learning to keep the team at the forefront of industry trends.

"Mentorship is a personal passion that shapes my leadership style. Supporting my wife’s charitable school reinforces my commitment to empowerment and education. This philosophy extends to my professional role, where I place great importance on mentoring and team development," says Sharan, adding that he finds deep satisfaction in observing the growth of individuals under his guidance.

A people-first approach for lasting success

Working in a global environment across India and Sweden has shown Sharan the importance of seamless collaboration and cross-cultural communication for achieving success. His extensive experience in the rapidly evolving telecom industry has strengthened his belief that staying ahead necessitates continuous learning and openness to new ways of working.

Sharan aligns with the company's people-first approach and advocates for investing in individuals and cultivating a culture of ownership and accountability, which he considers vital for long-term success. He deeply resonates with Tietoevry Create's culture of trust and transparency, valuing the sense of being part of a united global team that offers extensive opportunities for collaboration and learning. This environment promotes a culture of knowledge-sharing, where experienced professionals play a crucial role in nurturing the next generation of tech leaders.

With a strong emphasis on innovation, collaboration and continuous learning, Sharan is committed to advancing the future of telecom technology and promoting a culture of excellence and growth at Tietoevry Create Telecom.

Join Sharan in his pursuit of innovation as part of Tietoevry Create.