Building the Digital Backbone of Global Fashion
Saurabh Saxena
Group Chief Information Officer
Building the Digital Backbone of Global Fashion
Saurabh Saxena
Group Chief Information Officer
PDS Limited
A strategist by foundation and a technologist by vision, Saurabh Saxena exemplifies what it means to lead with clarity, purpose, and innovation in today’s dynamic enterprise landscape. As the Group Chief Information Officer at PDS Limited, he is not only driving the company’s digital transformation but also setting new benchmarks for how technology can power global fashion supply chains. With a sharp focus on scalability, agility, and business relevance, he is reengineering systems and mindsets to position PDS as a global leader in its sector. Saurabh’s career spans nearly two decades across some of the most respected names in the industry. At IBM, he led analytics, AI strategy, and operational insights across continents, gaining first-hand exposure to diverse markets and sectors. This experience instilled in him a powerful realisation—that strategic insights must translate into tangible action to create lasting value. His transition from advisory roles to enterprise technology leadership stemmed from a deep desire to not just recommend change but to own and deliver it, end-to-end. At PDS, Saurabh found a fertile ground to infuse this belief into action. He champions a digital-first approach that integrates advanced technologies across design, sourcing, production, and delivery—ensuring end-to-end visibility, efficiency, and innovation. From building highperforming cross-functional teams to driving
"I firmly believe that true transformation requires both organisational readiness and human capability."
AI-powered decision-making tools, his work is reshaping how fashion supply chains operate at scale. What sets Saurabh apart is his ability to align technology with business outcomes. He brings together data intelligence, automation, and enterprise systems with a clear focus on customer experience, operational resilience, and future-readiness. His leadership style fosters collaboration, curiosity, and ownership, making innovation a shared mission rather than a siloed initiative. Saurabh’s journey reflects the evolution of technology leadership itself, right from support function to strategic cornerstone. At PDS, he is building the digital foundation for the next chapter of global supply chain innovation. How? Let us know here.
How do you lead large-scale digital transformation across diverse functions?
My leadership style over time has moved from directive to collaborative and entrepreneurial and is more a balanced blend of solution-focused, transactional, transformational, and strategic thinking. I follow a “learn and then enable, act and then delegate” approach—immersing myself in the initial phases to understand ground realities and then empowering teams to drive outcomes. While leading complex initiatives like the SAP ERP rollout across PDS entities or implementing systems in our plants, I prioritise transparency, cross-functional collaboration, and a sense of ownership. Rooted in respect, integrity, and authenticity, my leadership encourages trust, fosters motivation, and builds high-performance teams aligned to a common vision of impactful digital transformation.
Smart AI isn’t just about power, it must be purposeful and pragmatic to deliver real value.
How can Indian CIOs prepare for AI, hyperautomation, and sustainable digital transformation?
Indian CIOs must begin by establishing a robust data foundation, as AI’s effectiveness depends on high-quality, accessible data. At PDS, we are building an enterprise-wide analytics roadmap to drive both automation and intelligent insights. The next step is to upskill teams, enabling them to adopt and scale AI and automation solutions confidently. Start with small, high-impact pilots—such as automating quality control or inventory tracking—to demonstrate value. Equally important is integrating ethics and sustainability into digital initiatives, like monitoring supply chain sustainability. CIOs must break silos and foster cross-functional and external collaboration to build future-ready ecosystems.
If resources were unlimited, what global problem would you solve using technology?
I would focus on building sustainable and ethical global supply chains. Leveraging AI, IoT, and blockchain, we can create an end-to-end visibility platform that tracks materials from origin to retail, measuring carbon footprint, ensuring ethical compliance, and enabling transparency at every step. This empowers consumers to make informed choices and helps businesses align with their sustainability goals. Given my recent background in fashion sourcing, this mission deeply resonates with me. It reflects my commitment to transparency, ethical practices, and impact at scale—a legacy I believe is both necessary and worth building
How do you balance innovation and legacy systems in a global organisation?
At PDS, a global organisation with operations across multiple countries, we follow a bi-modal IT strategy to balance innovation with operational stability. One stream focuses on ensuring governance, security (such as ISO 27001 compliance), and incremental ERP improvements to maintain business continuity. The other stream drives innovation—developing and deploying solutions like PDS Costing, PDS Conquer, and PDS WEAVE—without disrupting daily operations. Our transition to S/4HANA is carefully staged and managed. This dual approach allows us to nurture agility while safeguarding dependability, ensuring that innovation evolves in harmony with robust and reliable core systems.
What’s one overused or misunderstood tech trend that deserves a more thoughtful discussion, and why?
The term “digital transformation” is often misunderstood as a one-time technological upgrade, when in reality, it is a continuous evolution involving people, processes, and culture. Many assume that adopting AI or automation alone can drive transformation, but without redesigning outdated procedures or investing in talent enablement, such initiatives fall short. I firmly believe that true transformation requires both organisational readiness and human capability. Technologies like hyperautomation and sustainability must be implemented with long-term strategy and responsibility. These are not trends to chase— they are core shifts that demand thoughtful integration across every layer of the enterprise.
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