As we celebrate the first anniversary of de Novo India, we’re reflecting on twelve months that have surpassed every expectation we ever had. What started as a daring strategic play, has developed into something really incredible – a thriving innovation hub that captures all we stand for as straight-talking innovators and disruptors in the digital transformation space.
Establishing Excellence from the Beginning
From the beginning, we have laid an extremely solid organisational foundation to support our ambitious global vision over the last year. Our team has successfully developed five critical competencies that have transformed our operational capacity: Human Capital Management (HCM), Technology, Testing, Corporate Services (supporting global HR and recruitment), and our Project Management Office (PMO).
With clearly defined ways of working and real cross-border collaboration, our operation has taken unique form. What’s particularly amazing is how our teams in the UK and India work as a single, unified force, always delivering projects and products from India that significantly improve our global business success.
More Than Operational Support – A Real Innovation Powerhouse
Our India operation has had amazing impact throughout this first year. Our team has strengthened our overall delivery capability while establishing an R&D hub that places India as our focal point for AI innovation and product development. We have shown that this expansion was much more than geographical reach by providing support for vital corporate functions across our entire organisation.
This transformation shows the quality of talent we have attracted and the culture we have created—one that values daring ideas and ground-breaking inventions across every business function.
Delivering Complex Solutions That Matter
Our India team has shown they can manage the most difficult projects across multiple sectors. A leading organisation in the public sector continues to benefit from ongoing support that exemplifies our commitment to long-term client relationships. Our work with a leading telecommunications provider stands as a particular success story – fully delivered by India with sponsorship and project management from the UK. This project was so successful that the client has specifically requested that our India team lead their future roadmap initiatives, demonstrating not only our technical capabilities but the exceptional trust and confidence we’ve earned through consistent delivery excellence.
A major legal sector organisation showed our capacity to deliver and perform under pressure, with our team successfully achieving a joint go-live within very challenging timelines. Currently, a leading organisation in the logistics and transportation industry represents our largest undertaking – a complex global rollout with a substantial part being delivered by our India team under UK sponsorship. This multi-country implementation showcases our seamless cross-border delivery model and our ability to execute sophisticated projects across international markets.
The Numbers Tell an Incredible Story
Our growth statistics are particularly impressive. In just 12 months, we’ve grown from just 2 founding members to 25+ professionals – that’s more than 1,150% headcount growth! Our team has taken on 6 major projects (delivered and in-progress) – all while maintaining our commitment to delivery excellence across every client engagement.
Most notably, 100% of our projects have been delivered using our joint UK-India teams approach, proving that our “One Team” collaborative model isn’t just an aspiration – it’s how we actually work. This true collaborative approach sets us apart from competitors who simply outsource work instead of building genuine, sincere partnerships.
Leadership That Drives Excellence
Key leadership appointments have greatly strengthened our capacity for execution. Arunkumar Thangavelu serves as our Delivery Lead for HCM, ensuring excellence in human capital solutions. Mayur Salampuria leads our Technology delivery, while Shyamala Thangadurai heads our People Services department. These appointments highlight our commitment to empowering local talent while upholding the high standards that define us globally.
Innovation in Everything We Do
Our team’s dedication to innovation manifests in tangible ways that directly benefit our clients and capabilities. With an extensive innovation roadmap centred around our OdysseaTM product offering, our India team is driving multiple breakthrough initiatives that will transform how we deliver value to clients. The Payroll Comparison Tool prototype and AI-powered fast formula tools currently in development represent just the beginning of a comprehensive suite of AI-enabled solutions designed to streamline implementations and enhance efficiency for our customers.
Our team’s active contribution to building our AI Strategy and Product Strategy, combined with this ambitious roadmap of innovative tools and capabilities, positions us at the forefront of technology advancement in our industry.
These innovations represent genuine intellectual property development, with AI and automation capabilities that contribute directly to our product and delivery innovation. While exact numbers are difficult to quantify, these improved efficiencies have significantly enhanced our speed and delivery capabilities.
Continuous Learning and Development
Our team’s commitment to professional growth is evident in the 30+ certifications we hold across a range of fields. This dedication to continuous learning ensures we stay ahead of the curve and provide our people with the skills they need to solve increasingly complex challenges.
Twenty-Four-Hour Excellence Across Time Zones
Operating with the flexibility needed to satisfy worldwide customer needs, our India team offers extended-hour delivery assistance to guarantee flawless service throughout UK and India time zones. Daily standups and consistent cross-time-zone collaboration have become the norm—proving that with the right people and a shared vision, distance is no barrier to exceptional teamwork.
Building Something Special
Beyond the impressive numbers and project deliveries, we’re building a strong, vibrant company where people work hard and genuinely enjoy the journey. Embodying the very core of what makes us unique, our team consistently takes on challenging work, delivers high-impact projects, and punches well above its weight.
We’re creating an environment focused on technical brilliance, consulting capabilities, project execution, and personal growth. This approach provides our employees with exposure to complex, high-visibility projects while creating long-term career growth opportunities that benefit both the individual and our organisation.
As Ramya Govindarajan, VP of India, reflects on our incredible journey: “India offers a powerful combination of talent, a positive can-do spirit, and a strong intent to deliver exceptional value to our clients through innovation and delivery excellence. The future is bright, and as one unified team, we look forward to driving impactful outcomes.”
A Foundation for Continued Success
As we celebrate this first anniversary, it’s clear that our India operation represents the natural evolution of our expertise and vision. Our team embodies our core values of taking on challenging work, punching above our weight, and delivering successfully while making the journey enjoyable for our people.
Our India growth success validates our global growth strategy approach and sets us up perfectly for the next phase of our development. With offices across three countries and a strong workforce of talented digital transformation specialists, we’re not just keeping pace with industry evolution; rather, we’re leading it.
Looking Ahead
As we look forward to year two, our India operation stands as testament to what’s possible when vision meets execution, when international collaboration drives local excellence, and when talented teams are empowered to deliver exceptional results. It shows that our multi-location strategy – from our Welsh origins to our Indian innovation hub – gives us the competitive advantage we need for us to be front and centre in digital transformation on an international scale.
The future is incredibly bright for our India team, and this extraordinary first year is, as our Chief Executive, Mark Sweeny always says, just the beginning.
Huge congratulations to our entire India team on an outstanding first year; here’s to the next chapter of growth, innovation, and continued success.