Persistent Systems, a global digital engineering and enterprise modernization firm, has announced the appointment of Rajiv Naithani as its Chief People Officer (CPO), effective August 1, 2025.
This transition follows the retirement of Yogesh Patgaonkar, who will step down on July 31, 2025, after serving in the role for over three years.
The leadership change is part of a planned succession strategy, aimed at strengthening the company’s talent agenda and aligning its workforce with evolving business needs.
Rajiv, who joined Persistent in February 2025 as Senior Vice President – HR & Organisational Development, will now lead the company’s global people strategy during a period of rapid growth and transformation.
About Rajiv Naithani: A Proven HR Leader
Rajiv Naithani brings over two decades of HR leadership experience across prominent technology firms.
Prior to joining Persistent, he served as Chief People Officer at Infogain, where he played a key role in shaping global HR strategies, talent management, and cultural integration across regions.
His career also includes leadership roles at Dassault Systèmes, GlobalLogic, InterGlobe Technologies, and HCL Technologies.
Rajiv is known for his focus on employee-first practices, high-performance cultures, and M&A integration, making him well-suited to lead Persistent’s people function as it scales globally.
In his new role, Rajiv will lead the company’s talent transformation efforts using AI-driven intelligence.
He will also adopt people-centric approaches to build a future-ready workforce aligned with Persistent’s platform-led strategy.
Farewell to Yogesh Patgaonkar
Yogesh Patgaonkar, who joined Persistent in 2022, has been instrumental in advancing the company’s HR maturity and leadership development initiatives.
With over 25 years of industry experience, Yogesh has held roles as CHRO, business head, executive coach, and facilitator.
Under his leadership, Persistent strengthened its talent infrastructure during a pivotal phase of growth. The company expressed deep appreciation for his contributions and leadership during this transition.
The leadership change comes amid Persistent’s strong financial performance and strategic expansion.
In Q1 FY26, the company reported $389.7 million in revenue, marking an 18.8% year-over-year growth, and a 38.7% increase in net profit.
Persistent continues to invest in AI-led solutions, platform-driven services, and talent readiness, earning recognition from industry analysts such as ISG and Everest Group.
The appointment of Rajiv aligns with the company’s focus on building a resilient and scalable workforce to support its global ambitions.
About Persistent Systems
Headquartered in Pune, India, Persistent Systems employs over 25,000 professionals across 18 countries.
Persistent Systems serves clients across sectors such as banking, healthcare, software, and emerging industries.
The company is listed on major stock indices including Nifty IT, S&P BSE 100, and the Dow Jones Sustainability World Index.
Persistent has been named one of America’s Greatest Workplaces for Inclusion & Diversity 2025 by Newsweek and Plant-A Insights Group.
This recognition highlights the company’s focus on inclusive growth and responsible business conduct.
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