Becoming an ITIL 4 Master was an opportunity not to be missed for industry veteran and learning ambassador Rajesh Puneyani, who believes that continually investing in your skills should be a cornerstone of everyone’s career development.
Rajesh has a long-tenured background in enterprise service delivery and management, infrastructure and operations transformation, and is currently an interim site leader at consumer health company Kenvue, based at its soon to be launched GCC in Bangalore, India.
Over the past 27 years he’s seen the rise of outsourcing and offshoring, and the operational demands those models bring. From working in Asia to North America, in sectors ranging from banking to distribution, he’s seen technology evolve and be deployed in new and exciting ways.
But, he admits, successful implementations aren’t a product of luck. They come down to great leadership and robust organizational standards. Setting standards is something he believes very passionately in, so much so that he is credited with establishing standards for industry bodies and has won honorary awards for his expertise.
But while setting high and consistent standards has been integral to his achievements, Rajesh knows it’s the ITIL accreditations he’s gained that have helped to prove his value to organizations embarking on an ambitious strategy.
“When you have any accreditation, you are taken more seriously and viewed as an expert, so it’s to be expected that a global accreditation like ITIL carries tremendous weight in the industry. My ITIL journey started back in 2009 and I’ve since used my extensive project experience to augment my accreditations from ITIL v3 to ITIL 4.”
Most recently Rajesh was awarded his ITIL 4 Master designation, studying with PeopleCert partner Knowlathon, under the guidance of chief solutions officer, Vishal Vyas, and says it’s given him a new sense of empowerment to apply the principles of ITIL day to day. Overall, gaining his ITIL 4 Master couldn’t have been timelier and more pertinent to the challenges he and his peers face today:
“I think it’s fair to say that some people have doubted how relevant ITIL is to today’s landscape. I think it’s a mismatched perception as ITIL is critical for managing today’s technological opportunities and challenges.
“Data and cyber security, artificial intelligence and machine learning are just some of the disciplines that are moving at such pace that it’s vital to adopt the right approaches. I’m certain ITIL provides the framework and develops the skills leaders need to confidently address the challenges of adjusting to the evolving landscape.”
Rajesh says that anyone who is in two minds about ITIL shouldn’t hesitate any longer and the hard work will be worth it. Being a master of their craft will help them stand out in the industry:
“I think everyone operating in the world of technology or transformation should aim to complete the ITIL 4 Master. It’s worth progressing through the levels as your career evolves as it develops the depth and breadth of competencies organizations are hunting for.
“Senior leaders want the blend of experience and expertise needed to lead and manage change so they can steal competitive advantage. They will expect managers to be equipped to tackle the complexity of changing technologies and operational models and have the capability to lead others through the process. ITIL 4 Master delivers all that and more.”