#537 AI, People, and Performance: Sriniketh Chakravarthi on Building Future-Ready Teams

The CTO Show with Mehmet Gonullu

In this episode, Apexon CEO Sriniketh Chakravarthi joins us to unpack what it really takes to build and scale a global technology services company in the era of AI and automation.

We explore the intersection of technology, culture, and execution — and why the future belongs to leaders who can combine deep tech understanding with human-centric leadership.

From scaling teams to embracing Agentic AI, Sriniketh brings a grounded, operator-first perspective shaped by experience across strategy, M&A, and hands-on execution in some of the world’s most dynamic tech environments.

👤 About Sriniketh

Sriniketh Chakravarthi

CEO, Apexon

A seasoned technology leader with a background in financial services, strategy, and digital engineering, Sriniketh has led Apexon’s transformation into a next-gen digital engineering partner focused on AI, digital experience, and data-powered innovation.

Backed by Goldman Sachs and Everstone Capital, Apexon operates across the US, UK, India, and Mexico with a mission to improve human life through digital transformation.

🔑 Key Takeaways

• Culture is the No.1 driver of sustainable performance at scale

• Execution is a leadership discipline — not a buzzword

• AI will transform services, but humans remain the multiplier

• Entrepreneurial DNA must be protected even in large orgs

• Services firms must evolve into AI orchestration partners

• The next era belongs to companies combining talent, tooling, and trust

• Change management in AI era is harder than the tech work itself

🎓 What You Will Learn

• How to build a culture that scales with growth

• Why AI will reshape the technology services industry

• What “agentic AI” really means for enterprises

• Lessons on leadership, humility, and talent development

• How to balance investor expectations with people-first leadership

• Why operators must stay hands-on and continuously learn

• Strategies to upskill teams for AI-first work environments

📌 Episode Highlights

Time

Topic

00:00

Intro & welcome

01:00

Sriniketh’s journey: strategy → operating → CEO

04:00

Leadership pillars: culture, execution, strategy

08:30

Team mindset & the importance of low-ego talent

10:20

Tech as a force for good — real healthcare impact stories

14:30

Keeping entrepreneurship alive in a 5,000+ person org

17:40

Merging multiple companies into one culture & mission

21:00

Talent in the AI era: young engineers & reskilling

26:00

Balancing investors and people — sports team analogy

32:00

The future of services in the age of AI & agents

38:00

AgentThrive: scaling AI in enterprise environments

46:00

Human + AI collaboration and the next workforce frontier

52:00

Advice for entrepreneurs building future-ready teams

57:00

Closing thoughts & where to connect

🔗 Resources Mentioned

• Apexon Website: https://www.apexon.com/

• Sriniketh LinkedIn Profile: https://www.linkedin.com/in/srinikethchakravarthi/

• “Execution: The Discipline of Getting Things Done” — Ram Charan