Kumar Parakala is an Indian-Australian business executive, entrepreneur, writer, and former government official. He is the current President of GHD Digital, the professional services business.[1] He is also known for founding the digital advisory firm Technova[2] and served in several senior partner and executive roles for KPMG.[3][4]

He served in several roles with the Queensland Government, including as Chief Information Officer.[5] He was also chairman and President of the Australian Computer Society.[5][3]

Early life and education

Parakala was born in Tanuku, Andhra Pradesh.[6]  He has a Master of Science in Economics fromBITS Pilani.[2][7] He moved to Australia in 1991 and attended Central Queensland University were he received an MBA in Information Systems and Science in 2000.[2][8] He also studied at Harvard Business School[9] and is an adjunct Professor at the Central Queensland University.[10]

Career

While studying at CQUniversity, Parakala founded his first company, the Centre for Business Information Management.[2][7] Prior to his career in the private sector, Parakala held several ICT roles with the Queensland government including Chief Information Officer.[5] He also served as a senior manager at the University of Sydney[5] and Director of Corporate Services for St. Andrew's Hillcrest Private Hospital in Rockhampton.[2]

In the year 2000, Parakala joined the KPMG Australia.[7] During his time at KPMG, he went on to serve in roles such as Global Chief Operating Officer, Chief Operating Officer of KPMG Advisory, and Head of IT Advisory in multiple regions.[11][12][13]

Parakala was chosen by the New South Wales Premier to participate in a government-sponsored trade mission to India in 2004.[5]

He was also the National Chairman and President of the Australian Computer Society[14]  He assumed the office of ACS President in 2008, after Phillip Argy exited the position.[15] In 2008, Parakala was invited by former President Bill Clinton to work on the Clinton Global Initiative.[16] In March 2008, he was elected as the ACS president.[17] In June 2009, Parakala was appointed as member of Australian Information Technology Industry Innovation Council by Senator Kim Carr, the Minister for Innovation.[18] In November 2009, he left ACS as the president and joined head of the IT advisory business at KPMG in India.[19][20]

In 2015, Parakala founded the digital advisory firm Technova.[2]

Parakala joined the civil engineering and professional services company GHD in 2017.[2][21] In 2018, he led the formation of GHD Digital and currently serves as the President.[1][22]

Parakala has served as a visiting professor and guest lecturer at universities in Australia and the United States.[5]

Awards and Recognition

  • 2000 - Leadership Excellence Award from the Queensland Government[5]
  • 2010 - ACS Honorary Life Membership award.[23]
  • 2016 - International Digital and ICT Professional of the Year - Digital Disruptor Awards[6]
  • 2021 - CQUniversity Alumnus of the Year[2]

References

  1. 1 2 Team, S. W. M. (2023-08-04). "GHD report explores potential of generative AI in water industry and other sectors". Smart Water Magazine. Retrieved 2024-01-03.
  2. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 Estwick, Doug (2021-03-08). "Global Digital Leader's Journey Guided By CQUniversity MBA". MBA News Australia. Retrieved 2024-01-03.
  3. 1 2 "Kumar Parakala honoured with ACS life membership". www.arnnet.com.au. Retrieved 2024-01-03.
  4. ↑ "Kumar R. Parakala, KPMG Head of IT Advisory EMA & India, Chief Operating Officer Advisory India". ipthree.org. 2012-03-22. Archived from the original on 2012-03-22. Retrieved 2024-01-10.
  5. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 "CQUniNEWS - CQU graduate now senior officer with KPMG". uninewsarchive.cqu.edu.au. Retrieved 2024-01-03.
  6. 1 2 Rebello, Royston (2016-12-14). "Doyen of digital disruption". Indian Link. Retrieved 2024-01-03.
  7. 1 2 3 "Tech innovator's global digital career started in CQ". couriermail.com. Retrieved 2024-01-02.
  8. ↑ "CQUniNEWS - CQU graduate now senior officer with KPMG". uninewsarchive.cqu.edu.au. Retrieved 2024-01-10.
  9. ↑ "IABCA 2017 Panel of Experts". iabca. Retrieved 2024-01-10.
  10. ↑ "Home - KPMG India". KPMG. 2023-12-22. Retrieved 2024-01-10.
  11. ↑ "KPMG's Bangalore centre to focus on tech transformation". BusinessLine. 2012-02-09. Retrieved 2024-01-03.
  12. ↑ Dahdah, Howard (2005-09-28). "Experts: Ignore IT governance at your peril". Computerworld. Retrieved 2024-01-03.
  13. ↑ "Global cloud services mkt to double by 2014-KPMG". reuters.com. 2011-02-08.
  14. ↑ "New ACS president named". ZDNET. Retrieved 2024-01-03.
  15. ↑ "ACS chooses new president, Argy to leave in January 2008". iTnews. Retrieved 2024-01-03.
  16. ↑ "Kumar Parakala". ADAPT. Retrieved 2024-01-03.
  17. ↑ "ACS Elects New President for 2008/9" (PDF). IFIP News: 6. March 2008.
  18. ↑ "IT Industry Innovation Council announced". www.arnnet.com.au. Retrieved 2024-01-03.
  19. ↑ "Wong the new ACS national president". Computerworld. Retrieved 2024-01-10.
  20. ↑ "Outgoing ACS President to Head up KPMG Indian IT Advisory Business". Computerworld. 2009-11-07.
  21. ↑ "Consulting Matters". Consult Australia. 2017-03-30. Retrieved 2024-01-10.
  22. ↑ "GHD Digital arm launched". Environment Analyst Global. Retrieved 2024-01-03.
  23. ↑ "Fellows 2013-2014". www.acs.org.au. Retrieved 2024-01-03.


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