Sanjib is a digital innovator renowned for developing a more comprehensive strategy for digital transformation. The award-winning leader is a graduate from the Harvard Business School’s Advanced Management Program. He also holds a Master’s Degree in Computer Applications from the Institute of Management Technology in Ghaziabad, India, and a Bachelor’s Degree in Economics from Calcutta University.
Sanjib was born into a humble family. Throughout his student life, he was more interested in knowing the “why” than just following the herd. Born and brought up in a small town in India, he lost his father at a young age. To support his family, he had to start working at an early age. He studied computers before continuing higher education to develop his operational leadership abilities. He also studied economics – influenced by his inspiration, Nobel laureate economist Amartya Sen – to learn about macroeconomics and concepts that can help developing economies.
As there was limited career scope in this field, Sanjib eventually left his hometown in his youth to pursue a career in transforming businesses. His journey took him worldwide and through several sectors, finally bringing him to his current role at the $54 billion Fortune 100 Company Ingram Micro, which operates across 200 countries. The organization is undergoing a massive transformation under his leadership and in close collaboration with the company’s CEO Paul Bay to modernize the entire technology ecosystem with the introduction and global adoption of its Ingram Micro XvantageTM digital experience platform. Sanjib had no experience in technology when he left his birthplace. Building his IT acumen required a lot of effort for over two years. However, as a finance and computer application graduate, he had a unique perspective on business and technology. Over the years, his perseverance and passion have motivated the leader to take on challenges with constant effort and interest. He says, “I never intended to work as a Chief Digital Officer. However, I wanted to mould myself into a leader of substance and leave an impact in everything I did.”
GROWTH-DRIVEN MINDSET
Over the years, Sanjib has forged an impressive career as a revolutionary and inspirational technology executive, and company leader who consistently develops and delivers actual value. He became a financial firm’s Chief Technology Officer (CTO) at a very young age. It was the beginning of a rewarding journey for him. In the initial stages of his career, he built applications for various financial services companies, including Deutsche Bank, Citibank, and Charles Schwab (then Xpresstrade). He has also served as the CIO for XPO Logistics’ Transport Division as well as a member of the senior management team. Before joining XPO Logistics, he served as TradeMonster’s (now E*Trade/Morgan Stanley) CIO and CTO, overseeing the creation of a groundbreaking online trading system for both web and mobile. Rather than taking a career path, the leader adopted a growth mindset and worked tirelessly to hone his skills. He always saw his failures as life lessons instead of reasons to give up. As a CIO and CTO, he focused on business and took a keen interest in revenue, margins, and efficiency. Sanjib joined Ingram Micro Inc. in June 2021. As the Executive VP and Chief Digital Officer, he directs Ingram Micro’s strategic initiatives to swiftly produce cutting-edge, world-class customer and user experiences that will help the company differentiate itself from the competition. His responsibilities include overseeing the company’s customer-facing infrastructure, such as applications, subscriptions, and billing consumption patterns, through digital transformation and modernisation.
A LIFELONG LEARNER
Sanjib is a lifelong learner. He believes that effective leadership is not about ego, attitude, or making unrealistic commitments. True leadership, according to him, is about inspiring others to join a noble cause they believe in, and providing an opportunity for everyone to succeed. After serving as CIO/CTO for many years, Sanjib’s desire to know more motivated him to get more involved with the business. He decided to return to Harvard for an advanced management degree, which gave him a lot of new insight into many business sectors. In addition to building world-class platforms with his teams in several industries, he wanted to be a business leader with a solid technology background. He believes everyone needs to be a full-stack professional in the competitive IT sector. Every technology leader must strive to become a business leader. The leaders must grasp how the industry operates, how customers interact, and how their firm generates revenue. In addition to having business acumen and technological prowess, leaders must also be emotionally intelligent and culturally adept to become truly value generating CEOs. No matter their position or area of responsibility, if they develop these attributes, they will accomplish outstanding achievements in their career.
A PROACTIVE LEADER
Sanjib believes one must accept responsibility for one’s actions, especially influential executives, who must take immediate action instead of waiting for the outcome. According to him, this is essential to attain success. Leadership, he says, is not about being perfect but about being vulnerable. It involves owning up to your mistakes, seeking assistance, enlisting the support of your colleagues, and working as a team.
A GOOD LISTENER
Sanjib believes in leading through his ears more than through his mouth. He actively listens to his employees, which helps him learn many things. Rather than chasing perfection, he advises budding leaders to be practical and humble. He highlights the necessity of communication in today’s competitive environment and emphasises situational communication since leaders are expected to employ a distinct tone when addressing different gatherings or situations. The leaders must figure out how to communicate in different circumstances. He advises them to focus on the art of storytelling and communicate with compassion. He is also known for his excellent team spirit. “Your team must understand and execute your vision as a leader. Also, a leader and their team must embark on the same success journey to achieve concrete results,” he says.
REMARKABLE ACHIEVEMENTS
For his outstanding leadership abilities, Sanjib has received numerous prestigious accolades, including “ET Global Icon for Technology” and “Pride of India 2022”. The well-versed leader has also authored several technological models and white papers on leadership, risk and innovations, leadership training, creative marketing, open-source architecture, and mobile strategy. He owns several patents related to streaming for mobile devices and dynamic communications. He contributes to Wired and the Harvard Business Review, and is a part of the Forbes Technology Council. An excellent orator, Sanjib has spoken at several national conferences organised by Computer World, CIO Magazine, TEDx and others, on a range of topics, including leadership, mobility, innovation, talent, risks, and CIO issues.
