CK Taneja
CK Taneja | |
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| Born | Chandra Kant Taneja April 15, 1968 Khurja, UP, India |
| Nationality | Indian |
| Citizenship | Indian |
| Education |
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| Occupation |
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| Organization | NorthernTrust Corporation, Chicago, IL (SVP Transformation, Innovation & Resiliency) |
| Height | 5 ft 9 in (175 cm) |
| Spouse(s) | Raashi Taneja |
| Children | Dr Krishna Taneja (Daughter) |
| Parents |
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| Relatives | Madhur Taneja (Brother) |
| Website | cktaneja |
Chandra K. Taneja (born April 15, 1968) is an Indian entrepreneur, business strategist and executive coach known for his work in business transformation and organizational change across various industries. He has held leadership roles in the last 30 years in corporations in sectors such as healthcare, technology, finance, and media. Taneja has served in executive positions including CEO and board director at companies such as Singapore Telecoms, Dish TV, and Zee Entertainment.[1]
He has worked on transformation projects for multinational companies and public sector organizations, contributing to initiatives in business agility, operational efficiency, and change management. His clients have reportedly included corporations such as McDonald's, Ford Motors, Fiat Chrysler Automotive, Bank of Montreal, Subhash Chandra, cricketer Virendra Sehwag and New York Life, as well as government entities in the United States.
Taneja founded Greenfield Online, a business process outsourcing firm based in India, and has also been active as an executive coach and speaker. His work focuses on executive leadership development, strategic process re-engineering, and organizational resilience.
Early life and education
Taneja was born in a small village in Uttar Pradesh, India, into a middle-class family with a diverse spiritual background. His upbringing was shaped by multiple religious and philosophical traditions, including Murti Pooja, Arya Samaj, Vedanta, Sikh teachings, and Sufi influences. He spent his formative years in a joint family environment and frequently relocated due to his father's occupation in the Indian government. Exposure to various cultures and languages during his childhood contributed to his adaptability and cross-cultural communication skills.
Taneja attended five different schools in cities such as Mumbai, Jabalpur, and Delhi. During his early education, he experienced challenges due to undiagnosed learning disabilities, which were later addressed with the support of his family and teachers. He supplemented his formal education with vocational training in typing, auto mechanics, carpentry, and electrical work. These early experiences introduced him to principles of resourcefulness and efficiency, which later aligned with formal methodologies like lean production. This hands-on training helped cultivate a practical, problem-solving approach to learning.
He went on to complete undergraduate degrees in Science and Commerce, followed by a Master’s in Computer Applications from Mumbai University. He later earned an Executive MBA in International Business from the National University of Singapore.
Career
While pursuing his Master’s degree, he secured an internship with Tata Consultancy Services (TCS), eventually transitioning into a full-time role as an application developer. His early assignments included developing billing systems, such as one for Electricity Du Laos. During his time at TCS, Taneja was involved in creating telecom billing solutions, which led to opportunities abroad with companies such as British Telecom (BT) in the United Kingdom and Singapore. He later joined Hong Kong Telecom, where he managed a billing system project that was completed ahead of schedule. His career in telecom expanded across multiple countries, including Thailand, Indonesia, Malaysia, and Australia, where he oversaw software implementations and system upgrades.
Taneja held the position of Director of Information Services at SingTel, where he managed deployments across the Asia-Pacific region. In 1997, he moved to the United States, shifting his focus from corporate leadership to entrepreneurship.
Entrepreneurship
In the U.S., Taneja founded or co-founded several technology and service ventures. These included a government services company, a platform for music distribution, an educational application portal, and a tax software firm that was later listed publicly and sold. He also founded an HRIS company acquired by PeopleSoft and contributed to the development of Greenfield Online, a market research firm that went public on NASDAQ and was acquired by Microsoft in 2007.
Later Career and Consulting
Following the acquisition of Greenfield Online, Taneja took a sabbatical and joined the Chinmaya Mission Ashram in India, where he studied Vedanta and managed educational operations. He later resumed professional activity by offering consulting services, drawing on both spiritual frameworks and modern business methodologies such as Lean and Agile.
Taneja has provided consulting and mentorship across various sectors, including healthcare, telecom, banking, and manufacturing. He worked with startups and was invited to mentor at the Centre for Innovation Incubation and Entrepreneurship (CIIE) at the Indian Institute of Management Ahmedabad. As part of the Startup India initiative, he mentored over 200 startups.
In 2016, Taneja returned to the U.S. to establish a consulting practice, continuing his work with businesses and individuals focused on growth and organizational development.
Taneja has lived and worked in 17 countries, bringing global experience to his roles in transformation consulting, executive coaching, and agile strategy.
Recognitions and awards
Taneja has received several professional recognitions, including:
- Consultant of the Year, V2Soft Inc.
- President Circle Award, Ford Motors
- Excellence in Education, Indian Achievers’ Award
- Learning Evangelist, [24]x7.ai
- Agile Transformation Recognition, McDonald’s
- Mentor of the Year, Power of Ideas
- World’s Best Storyteller, Times Now (non-verified)
- Employee of the Year, R Systems Inc.
Contributions
Taneja has been involved in designing and implementing transformation frameworks that integrate methodologies such as Agile, Scrum, and Kanban. His work has reportedly led to measurable improvements in delivery timelines, operational costs, and digital system implementations across several industries.
He is also known for mentoring over 200 startups, with some reportedly achieving public listings. His contributions have included strategic advisory, scaling operations, and preparing businesses for funding.
In the media
References
- ↑ "CK Taneja Starts New Role as Senior Vice President of Transformation and Innovation (Hedge Fund Services) at Northern Trust - Global HR News & Updates". hrtoday.in. 31 August 2024. Retrieved 25 April 2025.