Cogoport, a global trade platform, has announced the appointment of Hrishikesh Kulkarni as its Chief Operating Officer (COO). With its headquarters in Singapore and a global presence spanning India, Netherlands, Thailand, Vietnam, and Indonesia, Cogoport is at the forefront of technological advancements in global trade.
In his new role, Hrishikesh will be based at the Gurgaon office and will assume responsibility for the growth of Cogoport’s operations in India and collaborating with other international offices to help SMEs globalize their business. He will focus on enhancing operational efficiency to elevate customer experiences and bolster the company’s financial standing through the strategic utilization of technology.
Hrishikesh Kulkarni graduated from IIT Bombay in 2009 and throughout his professional journey, he has leveraged technology to solve customer problems and scale the organizations. Before joining Cogoport, he had experience in driving innovation in fintech, insuretech and OTT, and in driving efficiency across teams. In his previous role as VP, Engineering, Hrishikesh has helped Cogoport scale during the uncertain time of COVID-19.
Commenting on Kulkarni’s appointment, Amitabh Shankar, CEO Cogoport, said, “The company has achieved remarkable growth, surpassing $170 million in revenue with positive EBITDA in less than three years. Hrishikesh’s role will be crucial in enhancing efficiency and driving profitable growth for Cogoport in India. He is an accomplished leader with engineering skills, business vision and an ability to bring people together. His strategic insights into the role of technology and product in shaping Cogoport’s future in India align perfectly with the company’s new phase of innovation and growth.”
In response to his appointment, Hrishikesh Kulkarni, COO of Cogoport, said, “I am excited to assume this role and apply my expertise to bridge the knowledge and execution gap within the trade industry. My primary goal is to create value for our customers and partners, both on the demand and supply sides. As the COO of the India business, my immediate focus will be on enhancing the customer experience by launching multiple services such as export factoring, pay later and PTL services. I will also focus my efforts on attracting top talent to our team, positioning the right individuals in key leadership roles, fostering managerial growth through training programs and eliminating inefficiencies. This journey for category creation in the trade commerce industry is not for employees who want to board the boat as a passenger just to see the adventure but rather we need colleagues who would be involved in the journey just like an Olympic boat rowing competition where every rower must put in effort and intensity to move the boat in the desired pace. These efforts will culminate in the development of an enhanced and effective playbook, facilitating network effects for our organization and driving profitable growth further.”
