Latest news with #RajeshGanesan
New Indian Express
04-05-2025
- Business
- New Indian Express
'Fear of failure holding back Indian startups from innovating'
ManageEngine, an IT product company from the stable of Zoho Corporation, aspires to be a $10 billion technology company in five years while remaining focused on innovation and R&D. Its CEO Rajesh Ganesan spoke to Dipak Mondal on AI, innovation and growth targets. An excerpt: How is ManageEngine different from IT services firms like Infosys or TCS? ManageEngine is a product company (like Microsoft or Google), building tools for businesses to manage IT operations, cybersecurity, and endpoints. Services firms like Infosys focus on custom solutions or integrating third-party tools. ManageEngine's products are used directly by enterprises or through partners (e.g., banks use its endpoint security agent to protect devices). What is your approach to R&D? Zoho invests heavily in R&D, building proprietary frameworks (e.g., programming language Deluge) and infrastructure (self-run global data centers). We prioritise long-term bets over short-term gains, with R&D teams in tier-3 Indian cities (eg, Tenkasi and Tirunelveli in Tamil Nadu) to tap local talent and foster regional ecosystems. Failed products are common, but successes like Zoho CRM and ManageEngine's IT tools drive growth. How is AI impacting your business? AI augments workflows (e.g, generating code snippets, customer support responses) but doesn't replace jobs. Zoho uses AI cautiously, avoiding sensitive data exposure. For instance, AI-generated videos of executives save time but lack originality for complex tasks. The focus remains on human-AI collaboration, not workforce reduction. Zoho has survived multiple crises (eg, the 2001 dot-com crash, 2008 financial crisis) by diversifying products and markets. For example, after telecom infrastructure demand collapsed in 2001, Zoho pivoted to serve smaller businesses with ManageEngine. We plan for extremes: best-case growth (40% YoY) and worst-case scenarios (zero revenue), ensuring resilience without layoffs. What's your view on India's startup ecosystem's focus mainly on tried and tested business models and a risk aversion towards tech innovation? That mindset is important. The problem is, we don't accept failure. That's what holds us back. We tend to copy what appears to be most successful. You need to take a bold, deep dive and say, 'I want to do this because I believe in it'—while also knowing it might fail. You can't expect the government to drive this change alone. It has to come from the broader ecosystem—private players, society at large. Zoho's success stems from embracing failure (for example, shutting down underperforming products). To spur innovation, India needs ecosystems that support long-term R&D and accept risk. Zoho invests in startups (e.g., SignalChip for semiconductors, V-Titan for medical devices) and runs subsidiaries in non-IT sectors (power tools). Do you have plans to go public? No. We intend to remain private to retain freedom from shareholder pressures. The philosophy centres on prioritizing customers and employees over quarterly financial targets. The company maintains a financial buffer to survive three years without revenue while protecting employee jobs and salaries. This approach reflects their belief in mutual loyalty between the company and its workforce. What are ManageEngine's growth plans? We expect to reach $ 1billion by next year. We have a target of achieving $10 billion in the next five years because the potential is so high. We are already present in 30 locations in North America, Europe, and Latin America. We plan to go to newer markets, invest in new ways of doing business, and new models. We plan to enhance partnerships, localise solutions, and build trust as a global Indian brand. How does Zoho address global challenges like US tariffs or visa policies? Tariffs (currently targeting physical goods) haven't directly impacted software sales, but customer caution in tariff-affected industries (e.g., manufacturing) slows deals. H-1B visa approvals remain stable, but geopolitical uncertainty lingers. The US contributes 35% of ManageEngine's revenue, with growth balancing across other regions. What advice do you have for aspiring engineers in the AI era? Focus on fundamentals, not shortcuts. Embrace hard work over chasing trends. AI is a tool, not a replacement—human creativity and problem-solving remain irreplaceable. Zoho hires for foundational skills, not just tech expertise, and encourages teams to innovate without fear of failure.
Al Bawaba
12-02-2025
- Business
- Al Bawaba
ManageEngine's Dubai User Conference to Focus On Enterprise AI Readiness
ManageEngine, a division of Zoho Corporation and a leading provider of enterprise IT management solutions, will focus on enterprise preparedness for the AI era at its User Conference, taking place at The Ritz-Carlton, Dubai International Financial Centre, on February 18th and 19th, 2025.'AI is becoming an essential driver for digital transformation, and enterprises must define their own unique paths to leverage its benefits while mitigating the associated risks,' said Rajesh Ganesan, CEO of ManageEngine. 'At this year's Dubai User Conference, we will engage with our customers and partners in the UAE to explore how modern enterprises can navigate through challenges and be AI-ready. We will also share our perspective on AI adoption and showcase how AI-powered solutions are reshaping modern enterprise IT.'According to PwC, AI is projected to contribute 2% of the total global economic benefits—equivalent to USD 320 billion—to the Middle East by 2030. Also, by 2030, the UAE is expected to see AI account for nearly 14% of its GDP. The region's AI-driven economic growth is anticipated to grow between 20–34% annually, with the UAE leading the expansion.'The UAE government has outlined an ambitious AI vision, aiming to be a global leader in AI by 2031. Several national initiatives are already in place to develop AI capabilities and accelerate its adoption across government and enterprises. At ManageEngine, we are empowering UAE businesses to contribute to the country's vision through our AI-enhanced solutions. These solutions will enable organizations to overcome the challenges in the current IT landscape and help prepare for the future,' said Nirmal Kumar Manoharan, regional director at User Conference this year will explore AI's business impact, strategies to overcome its challenges and how organizations can leverage AI for a competitive edge. Key Highlights of the Conference:AI readiness for modern enterprises: A keynote by Rajesh Ganesan, CEO of ManageEngine, will explore AI's role in driving digital state of AI in 2025: Ramprakash Ramamoorthy, head of AI research at ManageEngine, will provide insights into AI's current landscape, future trajectory, and expected meets the cloud: Accelerating enterprise transformation: Manish Ranjan, research director for software and the cloud at IDC EMEA, will provide insights about cloud adoption in the Middle East, highlighting the influence of AI and GenAI capabilities boosting cloud adoption amongst enterprises in the region. Customer connect (Q&A): Customers will have the opportunity to connect with the leadership team to address their queries. The User Conference provides opportunities for attendees to earn certifications alongside technical workshops and networking forums. Panel discussions comprising of tech experts from the UAE provide a unique opportunity to learn about the state of AI and how organisations can be AI-ready in the UAE. Attendees will also have the opportunity to meet with individual product teams and explore the best ways to make use of their solutions while also getting the chance to witness the technical showcase of the overall comprehensive suite of IT solutions.
Zawya
12-02-2025
- Business
- Zawya
ManageEngine's Dubai User Conference to focus on enterprise AI readiness
DUBAI, UAE — ManageEngine, a division of Zoho Corporation and a leading provider of enterprise IT management solutions, will focus on enterprise preparedness for the AI era at its User Conference, taking place at The Ritz-Carlton, Dubai International Financial Centre, on February 18th and 19th, 2025. 'AI is becoming an essential driver for digital transformation, and enterprises must define their own unique paths to leverage its benefits while mitigating the associated risks,' said Rajesh Ganesan, CEO of ManageEngine. 'At this year's Dubai User Conference, we will engage with our customers and partners in the UAE to explore how modern enterprises can navigate through challenges and be AI-ready. We will also share our perspective on AI adoption and showcase how AI-powered solutions are reshaping modern enterprise IT.' According to PwC, AI is projected to contribute 2% of the total global economic benefits equivalent to USD 320 billion to the Middle East by 2030. Also, by 2030, the UAE is expected to see AI account for nearly 14% of its GDP. The region's AI-driven economic growth is anticipated to grow between 20–34% annually, with the UAE leading the expansion. 'The UAE government has outlined an ambitious AI vision, aiming to be a global leader in AI by 2031. Several national initiatives are already in place to develop AI capabilities and accelerate its adoption across government and enterprises. At ManageEngine, we are empowering UAE businesses to contribute to the country's vision through our AI-enhanced solutions. These solutions will enable organizations to overcome the challenges in the current IT landscape and help prepare for the future,' said Nirmal Kumar Manoharan, regional director at ManageEngine. The User Conference this year will explore AI's business impact, strategies to overcome its challenges and how organizations can leverage AI for a competitive edge. Key Highlights of the Conference: AI readiness for modern enterprises: A keynote by Rajesh Ganesan, CEO of ManageEngine, will explore 's role in driving digital maturity. The state of AI in 2025: Ramprakash Ramamoorthy, head of AI research at ManageEngine, will provide insights into AI's current landscape, future trajectory, and expected advancements. AI meets the cloud: Accelerating enterprise transformation: Manish Ranjan, research director for software and the cloud at IDC EMEA, will provide insights about cloud adoption in the Middle East, highlighting the influence of and GenAI capabilities boosting cloud adoption amongst enterprises in the region. Customer connect (Q&A): s will have the opportunity to connect with the leadership team to address their queries. The User Conference provides opportunities for attendees to earn certifications alongside technical workshops and networking forums. Panel discussions comprising of tech experts from the UAE provide a unique opportunity to learn about the state of AI and how organisations can be AI-ready in the UAE. Attendees will also have the opportunity to meet with individual product teams and explore the best ways to make use of their solutions while also getting the chance to witness the technical showcase of the overall comprehensive suite of IT solutions. About ManageEngine ManageEngine is a division of Zoho Corporation that offers comprehensive on-premises and cloud-native IT and security operations management solutions for global organizations and managed service providers. Established and emerging enterprises ncluding nine of every 10 Fortune 100 organizations—rely on ManageEngine's real-time IT management tools to ensure the optimal performance of their IT infrastructure, including networks, servers, applications, endpoints and more. ManageEngine has 18 data centers, 20 offices and 200+ channel partners worldwide to help organizations tightly align their business to IT. For more information, please visit the company site, follow the company blog and get connected on LinkedIn, Facebook, Instagram and X (formerly Twitter).
