This is part of the specials we have every year focusing on women in IT.

In this conversation, Srini Sundararajan shares his experiences and perspectives on empowering women in the workplace, particularly in IT. Srini's key messages include:

- His upbringing which emphasized the importance of education and non-discrimination between genders.

- His early professional experiences, including managing and interacting with women colleagues for the first time.

- The importance of treating women as equals in the workforce and his approach to avoiding gender discrimination.

- His story of hiring and supporting a woman who was returning to the workforce after a seven-year break.

- Insights into managing women in his team and the different challenges they face, such as work-life balance and societal expectations.

- Instances from his career that highlight the importance of recognizing and addressing unique challenges faced by women, such as menstrual cycles and maternity breaks.

- Advice on inclusive policies like paternity leave to support working families.

- Emphasizing the role men can play in ensuring a comfortable and empowering work environment for women.

Through real-life stories and learned lessons, Srini Sundararajan illustrates the importance of empathy, fairness, and structural support in empowering women in the IT industry.

In this episode of Software People Stories, VR Govindarajan, aka Govi, the co-founder and executive chairman of Perfios Software, shares his comprehensive journey from the early days of his career to building successful startups. Govi dives deep into his academic background, industry experience, and the various startups he co-founded, including Aztec Soft and Perfios. He emphasizes the importance of technology-focused innovation, building a product company out of India, and navigating the challenges of operating in a regulated industry. Govi also shares his insights on the value of teamwork, culture, and maintaining a larger purpose beyond just making money. Throughout the conversation, he provides valuable lessons for aspiring entrepreneurs on raising funds, managing teams, and scaling businesses globally.

00:00 Introduction and Welcome

00:35 Govi's Background and Career Journey

01:43 Early Startups and Challenges

02:48 Building Aztec Soft and Going Public

03:10 Transition to Perfios and Product Focus

06:18 Navigating the Dot-Com Bust

08:18 Acquisitions and Selling to MindTree

13:41 Importance of Team Effort

17:34 Choosing the BFSI Sector

20:39 Challenges in a Regulated Industry

22:29 Managing B2B Sales and Integration

24:26 Focusing on Product Development

24:46 Creating a New Market Category

25:06 Challenges of Evangelizing a New Product

26:21 Leveraging Global Trends

28:07 Expanding to International Markets

34:25 Managing Code and Customizations

36:54 Importance of Local Customer Support

38:11 Leveraging AI and Data

41:22 Advice for Aspiring Entrepreneurs

44:51 The Importance of Culture and Values

48:53 Conclusion and Final Thoughts

The timestamps are approximate and do not include the time for the intro. Add about 90 seconds to locate the section

As the Co-founder & Executive Chairman, Govi has been the driving force behind building Perfios into the Operating system for the BFSI in India and across the globe. Perfios is an acknowledged technology driven SaaS Pioneer that works across almost all financial institutions (Banking and Insurance Sector) both in India and across 18 countries in South East Asia, Middle East and North Africa. Perfios is a Unicorn and is backed by some of the best Global Investors. As a fintech Pioneer, Govi has been part of many committees in industry forums such as FICCI, CII and ASSOCHAM. He has been an active speaker at many BFSI related conferences and public institutions.

He brings over 35 years of rich experience in the IT industry across the US and India. Before co-founding Perfios, Govi was the Co-founder, CTO, and Board Member at Aztecsoft, a pioneering force in the offshore product development space. From being a startup, Aztecsoft got listed in the Indian markets and was run as a public company before being sold to another Public company. Prior to starting Aztecsoft, he played a key role in advancing database technologies at global technology leaders such as Digital Equipment Corporation (DEC) and IBM.

Govi holds an M.S. in Computer Science from the University of Massachusetts and a B.E. in Electrical and Electronics Engineering from the Indian Institute of Science, Bangalore.

He may be reached at: govi@perfios.com

In this episode of Software People Stories, Jordan Richards, a Digital Transformation and Knowledge Management technologist, and Founder of Tacitous (www.tacitous.com) a Knowledge Management blueprint and platform designed to help organisations capture, retain, and share critical knowledge at scale shares his extensive experience with technology and knowledge management. From his early days with the ZX 80 computer to his consulting work with oil companies, Jordan emphasizes the importance of solving real-world problems through technology. He advocates for a 'people first, process second, technology third' approach, and shares insights on how to ensure successful adoption of IT solutions by understanding user stories and daily workflows. Jordan discusses the critical importance of managing both knowledge and collaboration within organizations, especially with regard to retirees, and touches on the implications of AI and digital twins in modern business environments. He also shares personal practices that help him stay grounded and continuously updated with the latest trends in technology.

00:00 Introduction and Welcome

00:45 Guest's Origin Story in Technology

01:43 Solving Problems with Technology

02:15 User-Centric Approach to IT Solutions

05:02 Challenges in IT Deployment

05:41 Building Effective IT Strategies

06:40 Understanding Organizational Knowledge Flows

11:14 Importance of Personas in IT Solutions

18:56 Knowledge Management and AI

27:56 Engaging Retirees: Challenges and Solutions

29:38 Building a National Repository of Expertise

32:04 Encouraging Knowledge Sharing and Consumption

34:41 The Role of AI in Knowledge Management

39:21 The Importance of Human Oversight in Technology

43:07 Staying Updated and Lifelong Learning

49:00 Personal Principles for Staying Grounded

The timestamps are approximate and do not include the time for the intro. Add about 90 seconds to locate the section

Jordan Richards is a Digital Transformation and Knowledge Management technologist, and Founder of Tacitous (www.tacitous.com) a Knowledge Management blueprint and platform designed to help organisations capture, retain, and share critical knowledge at scale. With 20+ years of international experience across high-risk and complex environments (including Oil & Gas and large-scale operations), Jordan specialises in institutional memory, lessons learned, communities of practice, and AI-enabled knowledge retention. He works with government entities, NGOs, and industry leaders to build practical, technology-enabled KM ecosystems that strengthen workforce continuity and organisational resilience.

Website: www.tacitous.com

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jordanrichards/

Email: collaboration@tacitous.com