Surendra Kulkarni Email & Phone Number

Coonoor, Tn, In

Wellington, Nilgiris, India

Offsite Consulting and AdvisoryAvailable for an interesting Permanent Leadership Role in ME, West Africa or KSA. #ReadyToLead

Riyadh, Riyadh Region, Saudi Arabia

Founding Team at KSA's first telecom tower Company – TAWAL. Based in Riyadh, KSAAdvise C Suite on TowerCo Operations, Policy, Strategy & ExecutionExpected Deliverables :- i) Define Infrastructure and Operations Strategy, ii) Develop Processes & Policiesiii) Develop Contracts for O&M, Power, Projects, Procurement,iv) Contribute in preparing MSA's v) Develop a best fit Vendor Management, Technology platformAchievements :- i) Contributed in defining Goals, targets, technologies & operational approach for TAWALii) Major Contribution in selection & implementation of a Tower Management System (TMS)iii) Singularly responsible to prepare a due diligence strategy. write RFP, and support execution.iv) Major Contribution in conceptualizing a "Smart Tower Strategy" for TAWALv) Major Contributions to KPMG and Strategy& for developing Operational Processes and Policiesvi) Supported the Development of a Network Capability Upliftment Program vii) Supported the Development of an O&M Capability Upliftment Programviii) Coordinated and Implemented a comprehensive Cyber Security Program for TAWAL. ix) Set up a Cyber Security Department & IT Governance Program. A first for any Tower Companyx) Advise TAWAL CIO (Chief International Officer) for Tech & Ops issues during International Expansionxi) Responsible to support the implementation of Policies, Processes & Standards for TAWALxii) Conceptualized and Drove Critical Start Up Stage Initiatives

Accra Ghana

CEO of a Company into - Fiber Projects, Fiber O&M, TETRA implementation. Governance of Multi Country Operations (Ghana, Nigeria, Benin Republic, Guinea Conakry, Liberia).Achievements : - i) Generated New Business Opportunities [across West Africa & Sahel].ii) Creation of a Telecom Consortium with like Minded Companies, to compete for Large Fiber Projects in West Africa.iii) TETRA Network Business as AIRBUS SLC Partners for West Africa.iv) Implemented Projects for - FTTH, Transmission, GPON, WIFI and Metro Networksv) leadership to a Team of 250+ staff spread across various Countries. vi) Set up a Process to quickly & efficiently bid for Global Tenders (WB Funded Backbone Network Projects)vii) Forging new relationships with Equipment Manufacturers and Technology providers, viii) Maintain CXO Level relationships with Mobile Operators, Telecom Ministers, Governments, Militaries, Police, Emergency Services and Stakeholdersix) Set up a strategic consortium with OEM's and Rural Telecom Technology providers (For Rural Connectivity Projects)

Mumbai, Maharashtra, India

On-Site Consultant. MumbaiProject involving Telecom Infrastructure, OFC, DAS using Gas Pipelines. Advise Leadership Team on Infrastructure & Operationswork closely with CEO for network expansion strategy. Active DAS , Dark Fiber Operations & FTTX services in South Mumbai.Strategic Planning for Shared Modular Active Access Radio Technology sites for Vodafone & Airtel.

Accra

1. Chief Technical Officer for GLOMOBILE GHANA, a leading mobile service provider in West Africa2. As CTO, i was responsible for efficient & profitable GSM/ WCDMA network Operations. 3. Management & optimization of VAS, NSS, BSS, IN, RNPO, TRANSMISSION & Backbone Fiber were key deliverables4. Leadership & mentoring multicultural team of 120 Technical staff from Nigeria, Ghana, Ivory Coast, France & India.5. Incident Management (Active & Passive Network Elements), Spares Management & Repair / Replacement for 3000 Telecom Towers.6. Conceptualize & implement OPEX reduction strategies.7. Reporting to Chairman Globacom on Ghana NW issues.8. Prepare Annual Technical Operations Plan to support Management Revenue Targets.9. Maintain strong Relationships with Telecom Regulator of Ghana. 10. Responsible for Network presentations to Ghana Parliamentary Committees on Telecommunications.11. Driving a Multi vendor environment [ ALU, Huawei, ZTE others].12. Implement 4 Government projects in West Africa – i) Lawful Intercept Project [ALU] – Government of Ghana, ii) OFC National Ring interlinking Project [ ZTE] – Government of Ghana, iii) Tower Sharing Project – Government of Ghana, iv) MNP & Number Authentication Project – Government of Ghana.

Port Harcourt

1. Head of Network Operations for South Nigeria. 2. Provide mobile coverage to the Oil rich southern states of Nigeria 3. Key Deliverables:- Operations, Leadership, Technology Direction, Opex Reduction, Procurement and Roll Out. 4. Leading a multicultural team of 75 staff from various West African Countries. Daily Reviews, Oversight , escalations & incident management. 5. Additional Responsibilities:- Maintenance, Power & Fuel Management, Spares Management & Site Security, RAN, Switch, Transmission, Fiber.6. Recognized by management for outstanding and excellent performance, transferred to Ghana as CTO of the Ghana Subsidiary7. Responsible for liaison with Government Bodies, Traditional Rulers & Regulators.8. Support Sales & Marketing Promotions & Campaigns.

Nairobi

1. Advisor Telecom Infrastructure for AIRTEL networks in Kenya, Uganda, Zambia, Tanzania & Malawi.2. On Contractual Assignment for NSN East Africa3. Achievements: - i) Analyzed and designed a monthly OPEX reconciliation process with Airtel across 6 Countries ii) Designed Reward & Penalty Matrix for all countries Operationsiii) Defined an O&M Vendor Management / Contract Governance Process across 6 countries, iv) Proposed practical KPI's for monitoring of Passive Infrastructure.4. First exposure to the vibrant yet challenging African Telecommunications Market.

Pune Area, India

Responsible for Profitable Tower Operation for a high value Portfolio of Sites across the Industrialized state of Maharashtra.Responsible for leadership & Direction across Units - Legal, Business Development, Logistics, Roll Out, O&M, Finance & Administration.Provide direction for Vendor management to ensure Quality & Timeliness of Projects & OperationsSucessfully Increased Units revenue from less than $ 2 Mn in 2009 to over $ 3.5 Mn by 2010. Reduced Operating costs by 9% in Yr 2010.Responsible for Business Development including signing Master Service Agrements with 4 new customers. [ Vodafone, MTS, Uninor, Idea Cellular ]Assessed by management as “Outstanding Employee” in 2010.Achievements: o Circle with uptime better than KPI's in 2009 & 2010 o Very high customer satisfaction. Zero Business escalations to HO. o Adapted methods to market existing sites - drive test, CSAT surveys, mapping key accounts portfolio's & joint planning.

Pune Area, India

Indus Towers Launch Team Member.Head Sales & B2B Collections for a premium region -MaharashtraAdditional Responsibility - To conceptualize and drive Colocations (Tower Sharing) across 45000 sites. Under my small teams implementation efforts - Maharashtra Circle achieved HIGHEST number of Colocations pan India!Sucessfully set up & Implemented a Process for monthly reconciliation of Power & Fuel payments . Sucessfully set up a process for timely B2B Collections from Mobile Service Operators (who were also majority shareholders in Indus Towers)Maintain CEO, CFO level relationships.Generate new Built to suit orders and colocation orders by joint planning & presentations with customers.Assessed by management as ‘Outstanding Employee” in 2008, Annual ReviewLeft the position to handle a Larger responsibility, as Business Head, Maharashtra with a Competing Tower Company

Corporate Office Pune

At Corporate Office with Suzlon Energy Ltd, India’s largest renewable energy company.Responsible for setting up the first Techno-commercial Team to support Large multi- million Dollar value Renewable Energy Tenders in IndiaGained solid experience in driving joint focus groups across departments (Projects, O&M, Production, and Commercial).Strong Customer facing profile at CMD / CEO / CTO level. Have successfully concluded techno commercial negotiations for large ( 100Cr +) projects with most major Public Sector Undertaking’s [ Railways / Steel Authority Of India Ltd / National Petroleum Corporation Ltd / National Thermal Power Corporation Ltd / etc]Graded as “Outstanding Employee” in 2007 Annual Review, for excellence in Tender Business (Technical).Left Suzlon Energy Ltd to join an exciting experiment - To be part of the startup Team of then World's largest Telecom Tower Company.

India

ColonelWorked on several Microwave, Fiber and switch Projects across India.Graduated from DSSC, WellingtonAwarded Nationally in 1986 for providing excellent mobile tactical communication support in a near war scenario at the Borders.Awarded again at National Level in 2000 for setting up a voice & data bridge between Meghalaya & West Bengal using troposcatter technology.Commanded an Electronics & Telecommunication Regiment deployed on the Counter Infiltration Grid in Kashmir.Sought Voluntary Release from service in 2004

Btech ( E&Tc), Electronics & Telecom

Activities and Societies: debate BSC, BTech

Msc, Strategic Studies, First Class

Activities and Societies: Angling club, inland sailing. At the prestigious Defence Services Staff College, Wellington. Only selected few.

Xth, Pcmb

Activities and Societies: DECLAMATION, SCIENCE PROJECTS XIIth

Xth, Pcmb

Activities and Societies: BOXING, DEBATE Primary School

Education record

Activities and Societies: CRICKET Middle School