Ashank Desai, is Chairman & MD of Mastek Limited, a Software Services Company, with over 1100 employees, and 6 subsidiaries in US, Europe & Asia and a turnover of around 265 Crores. Founded 20 years ago; Mastek went public in 1992 and also became the first company in India to introduce ESOP to its employees.

A Bombay University rank holder in B.E. (Mech.) in 1972, he received his M.Tech (Mech.) from IIT, Bombay in 1974. After a 3-year stint as Design Engineer in Godrej & Boyce Mfg. Co., Ashank completed his PGDBM from IIM, Ahmedabad in 1979.

Ashank has helped Mastek reach new frontiers of success and gain industry respect, year after year. His leadership role has extended to developing the export markets in Europe and the Asia Pacific for Mastek. PR and HRD are other important areas where he has established innovative practice’s.

One of the founders’ of the National Association of Software & Services Companies (NASSCOM), he has been on its Executive Council since 1988. He headed NASSCOM as the Chairman, 1996/97. During his tenure as Chairman he made significant contributions to the IT industry and successfully led delegations worldwide to promote Indian IT Industry. Ashank was involved in all major initiatives taken by NASSCOM, including the recent one, to define new vision and strategy for NASSCOM.

He has also served as the Vice-president of ASOCIO (Asian-Oceanian Computing Industry Organisation), an organisation founded for the development of IT in the Asia-Pacific region. Ashank is the only Indian to be presented with the Honourable Contributors Award in 1994 for outstanding contributions made to ASOCIO’s growth in the past 10 years.

Ashank takes an active interest in promoting the Industry affairs at the national level. Apart from NASSCOM, he is on the National Council of CII, Managing committee of Bombay Chamber of Commerce & Industry (BCCI), The Western Regional Council of Indo American Chamber of Commerce, Telecommunications committee of Bombay First, etc. He is a Charter Member of The Indus Entrepreneurs (TIE) & in the recent past was associated with the SEBI committee on ESOPs.

Ashank Desai strongly believes in social commitment i.e. to give back what society has contributed to him. He is on the Board of Governors of Vidya Pratistan, the Educational Trust in Baramati under the leadership of Mr. Sharad Pawar. He is actively involved in giving lectures on IT in schools, colleges, IITs and IIMs. He has contributed around 20 articles to leading IT magazines in India.