Metessh D B.
AI & Technology Strategist | Reimagining Sovereign DeepTech, DPI & the Future of Trust | National-Scale & Regulated Platforms | Understanding how technology reshapes strategy, organizations, and institutions
About
I work at the intersection of technology, strategy, and institutions, exploring how AI, cryptography, and emerging technologies are changing how trust, sovereignty, and digital economies operate. My work centers on designing and scaling digital systems that operate at national and societal scale. These include digital public infrastructure and trusted platforms that support identity, transactions, and participation in modern economies. Across my career I have helped build and lead technology platforms used by more than 100 million people. The goal has always been the same: turn deep technology into systems that operate reliably, respect institutional constraints, and remain usable for the people who depend on them. What I Do Technology Synthesist I work across AI/ML, post-quantum cryptography, zero-knowledge systems, neuromorphic computing, and autonomous systems. My interest is how these technologies move from research into real infrastructure that institutions depend on. Platform Builder I design and scale large digital platforms that serve population-level usage. Systems I have worked on support 100M+ users, operate near 99.9% reliability, and lower transaction costs through platform architecture and automation. Leader and Team Builder I lead multidisciplinary teams across engineering, product, and strategy. The focus is execution: building teams that can move from experimentation to production systems. Bridge Between Worlds Large technology systems sit between engineering, business, and policy. I spend much of my time aligning these perspectives so complex systems can operate with both innovation and institutional trust. Areas I Explore • Agentic and autonomous AI • Verifiable credentials and cryptographic trust systems • Digital sovereignty and public digital infrastructure • Responsible deployment of AI in regulated environments • Technology strategy for governments and enterprises Perspective Digital public infrastructure and emerging technologies are changing how societies organize identity, governance, and economic participation. As AI, cryptography, and digital infrastructure converge, institutions will increasingly depend on technology to structure decision-making, identity, and trust. Designing these systems carefully matters. The next decade will be defined by how well governments, companies, and technologists build infrastructure that supports innovation while preserving institutional trust.
Experience
Chief Product & Technology Officer
Sahakar Sarathi Private Limited (SSPL) · Full-time
I am joining Sahakar Sarathi Private Limited (SSPL) as its founding Chief Product and Technology Officer. SSPL was established by NABARD and the Ministry of Cooperation, Government of India, to build shared digital infrastructure for 385+ Rural Cooperative Banks. Authorised capital of ₹1,000 crore, held equally by NABARD, NCDC, and the RCBs themselves. The banks this entity serves also own a third of it. Hon’ble Home Minister Shri Amit Shah launched 14 digital products at the EARTH Summit in Gandhinagar. Sahakar Setu, digiKCC, ePACS, CBS Sarathi, CISO Sarathi, and more. Each carries the weight of a public government commitment. The CPTO’s mandate is to scale these into production across 385 banks, build the AI and data intelligence layer on top, and architect the platform that turns SSPL into financial infrastructure the entire cooperative ecosystem runs on. This is among the most complex institutional technology challenges in Indian financial services. Aadhaar KYC, Account Aggregator, UPI, OCEN. At Protean and HDFC, the pattern was consistent: India builds shared rails, and the institutions that plug into them become stronger without losing their identity. Cooperative banks are 130 million customer relationships held together by local trust no commercial bank can replicate. Shared infrastructure now makes it possible to bring conversational vernacular AI, intelligent credit decisioning, and real-time digital banking to a farmer in Vidarbha through the same cooperative bank his family has trusted for three generations. The work begins.
EVP & Chief Digital and AI Officer (CDAIO)
Protean eGov Technologies · Full-time
Spearheading national-scale AI-first modernization of India's core Digital Public Infrastructure (DPI), ONDC, ONEST, CKYCRR, AgriStack - for identity, finance, and compliance, impacting 100M+ citizens and enterprises. Architected and executing the AI-first transformation roadmap for critical national infrastructures including PAN, CRA, CKYCRR, and eSign, enhancing security, efficiency, and user experience. Architecting India’s first agentic AI strategy for national identity, compliance, and citizen experience Spearheaded modernization of legacy platforms using modern and emerging Technologies, and autonomous orchestration Scaled digital public infrastructure with 24x7 resiliency, multilingual AI interfaces, and policy-aligned data governance Establishing CoE for AI, DPI, and patentable IP creation with global collaborations Reduced manual processing by 80% and enabled SLA-bound real-time decisioning via AI-powered workflows Leading and mentoring a cross-functional team of 100+ technologists, product managers, and data scientists to deliver resilient, scalable, and citizen-centric digital services.
Executive Vice President & Chief Digital Officer (CDO)
Protean eGov Technologies · Full-time
Led the initial phase of Protean's digital transformation, establishing foundational digital strategies and platforms to enhance citizen service delivery and operational excellence. Developed the overarching digital vision and strategy for Protean, focusing on modernizing legacy systems and introducing new digital service paradigms across multiple government and public sector engagements. Initiated key digital platform builds, focusing on user experience (UX) enhancements and API-first architecture to improve interoperability and citizen engagement. Championed a data-driven culture, laying the groundwork for advanced analytics and AI adoption by standardizing data governance and quality frameworks. Built and scaled the initial digital transformation team, fostering a culture of innovation and agile execution.
Senior Vice President & Head Internal Systems, Digital Innovation and API Banking
HDFC Bank · Full-time
Planning and executing people, process and product strategy to drive internal system automation, digital innovation, API Banking and successful fin-tech partnerships. Led the bank's internal digital transformation and API ecosystem strategy, significantly enhancing operational efficiency, employee productivity, and fintech collaboration capabilities. Spearheaded a portfolio of 10+ internal digital transformation projects, delivering automation solutions that reduced manual processing time by an average of 35% across key banking operations. Championed and delivered a new enterprise-wide API banking platform, onboarding 60+ fintech partners and enabling the launch of 10+ new co-created financial products within the first year. Championed agile-based digital innovation labs for faster product rollouts and reduced change management cycles Partnered with a team of 80+ professionals across technology, product, and operations to drive the bank's digital innovation agenda.
SVP and Head Business Data & Analytics
DSP Mutual Fund · Full-time
Led the analytics-first turnaround of DSP's digital investment journey. Designed enterprise data strategy and cloud data lake for marketing, portfolio, and operations Introduced ML-driven customer segmentation and lifetime value prediction, increasing digital AUM Built real-time dashboards for fund performance and customer engagement insights
Chief Digital Officer
Bajaj Capital Ltd · Full-time
Led “Bajaj Capital 2.0” digital transformation—tech + touch hybrid growth model. Responsible for inculcating & driving Digital Innovation as a culture in Bajaj Capital, with keen focus on 3D; Discovery, Delivery and Design to differentiate and innovate customer journey to unlock the true potential of Digital as ‘disruptor and enabler’. Built Bajaj Capital 2.0 - growth journey & value creation through unique strategy of customer centricity by leveraging customer lifetime value, multi-product platform with research backed advisory and an omni-channel experience delivered through 'tech+touch' model. Adopted platform driven architecture through interface/APIs, Data Lake, Big Data, micro-services, server-less computing, AI/ML, bots, RPA/CPA to drive differentiation. Defining digital product roadmap, strategy, digitally automated operation processes, driving towards using innovation as a strategic differentiator. Reducing cost by digitizing the client journey and extensive use of technology in driving digital transformation and being part of a fast paced change management. Built ownership and IP of Data, Intelligence and Platform to deliver relevant omni-channel experience. Highlights Introduced serverless, microservices architecture for advisory + distribution platform Launched customer journey orchestration engine, reducing onboarding costs by 50% Built data ownership, real-time insights, and omnichannel delivery framework for 200+ locations Scaled multi-product platform integrating mutual funds, insurance, loans, and tax advisory
Education
Master of Science, Information Sciences and Networks, Information Sciences and Networks
2008 - 2010
Indian Institute of Management Bangalore
Management Development Programme , Organizational Leadership, Transformation & Change Management, Organizational Leadership, Transformation & Change Management
2018 - 2018
Agents in Mumbai, Maharashtra
parag rane
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Manoj Veeramani
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Vikram Jain
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Karan Kapoor
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