Charanjeet Singh

• Oversee IT operations for the bank, regional banks, assurance, and investment arms
• Manage primary & disaster recovery data centers, including a modernized facility with containment and lithium-ion batteries
• Lead network (LAN, WAN, Network Security), server (x86, Unix, AS400, AIX, Solaris), database (Oracle, MSSQL, etc.), virtualization (Red Hat, VMware, OCP), and data center operations teams
• Lead disaster recovery team, executing planned and ad-hoc DR activities
• Develop and execute IT infrastructure strategy aligned with business goals
• Ensure infrastructure availability, performance, security, and regulatory compliance
• Lead 24/7 infrastructure operations, monitoring, maintenance, and incident response
• Implement and maintain disaster recovery and business continuity plans
• Manage IT infrastructure budget, vendor relationships, and cost optimization initiatives
• Build and lead a high-performing IT infrastructure team

Key Highlights:

• Relief to CITO during his absence/transition period, ensuring continuity of IT operations.
• Serve as a key decision-maker, approving CAB (Change Advisory Board) and ECAB (Emergency Change Advisory Board) requests, and managing data center access.
• Chair the IT Department Disciplinary Committee, demonstrating strong leadership and upholding organizational standards.
• Strategic Cost Management: Achieved significant cost savings through VMware consolidation, storage optimization, and database license negotiations
• Data Center Certifications: Secured Tier 3, ISO, and Green Data Center certifications, demonstrating a commitment to high standards and sustainability
• Infrastructure Modernization: Led various tech refresh initiatives across storage, servers, network, and microwave technologies
• Automation Initiatives: Successfully implemented Ansible automation for OS and DB patching, streamlining these critical processes and reducing manual effort.

Head of IT Service Management & IT Operations

Core Responsibilities:

• Managed IT Service Management and Operations for the bank, regional banks, and other entities, ensuring seamless business operations.
• Led teams responsible for Service Delivery, Incident Management, Problem Management, Change & Release Management, Service Desk, and Monitoring.
• Oversaw IT Infrastructure, Applications, and Security for BAU (Business as Usual) matters.
• Chaired the weekly Change Advisory Committee (CAC), ensuring change compliance with policies and processes.
• Chaired the Weekly Service Management meeting, reviewing statistics, incidents, improvement plans, and action items.
• Presented IT performance metrics and incident analysis to senior management in the IT Operations Council and IT Steering Committee.
• Participated in weekly IT Management meetings to address operational issues.
• Managed incidents, ensuring swift resolution and timely stakeholder communication.
• Managed individual tower OPEX/CAPEX, consistently achieving cost savings/avoidance objectives over the past 3 years.

Key Accomplishments:

Incident Management

• Established an Incident Management Matrix & Process, providing clarity on expectations.
• Introduced timely communication methods for stakeholders (email, SMS, voice conferences).
• Revamped Incident Reports to include root cause analysis and preventive/corrective actions.
• Reduced high-severity incidents by 30%, decreased downtime for critical systems, and reduced overall aging incident count by 80%.
• Set up ad-hoc task forces for faster resolution of critical issues.
  

Service Desk:

• Established processes and guidelines for Service Desk agents.
• Improved engineer skills, resulting in a 30% increase in First Call Resolution (FCR).
• Introduced call & ticket monitoring for better customer experience.
• Established Service Desk SLAs, reducing delays and escalations.
  

Change & Release Management:

• Enhanced processes for tracking change activities and performing risk assessments.
• Established a mandatory CAC to minimize risks across infrastructure, applications, and security.
• Maintained a clean audit record with no critical findings.
• Initiated a project to explore an open-source deployment tool for cost reduction and improved deliveries.
  

Monitoring:

• Ensured timely management of daily alerts, leading to increased deflected incidents.
• Improved visibility of new alerts through daily & monthly statistics, contributing to an 80% reduction in aging incidents.
• Initiated a project to replace the existing monitoring tool with Nagios for better performance and cost savings.
  

Service Desk & Desktop Support Outsourcing & ITSM Tool Revamp:

• Conducted a cost analysis and secured management approval for outsourcing Service Desk and Desktop Support, targeting 30% year-on-year savings.
• Completed the transition within a short timeframe to minimize costs.
• Implemented a new ITSM tool for comprehensive IT service management.
  

Infrastructure Development:

• Established a team to build monitoring capabilities for IT infrastructure, APM, and RUM.
• Completed deployment of monitoring agents for all production and DR servers, network, and security appliances, resulting in improved service uptime and cost avoidance.

• Oversee 100% of the incidents and request created
• Manages and coordinates critical support issues
• Act as escalation point for all requests and incidents
• Develop and mature phone/ticket escalation processes to ensure free flowing escalation and information within the organization
• Ensuring root cause of issues and communicate appropriately to internal and external customers by supports
• Train, coach and mentor Service Desk analysts
• Oversee staff activities (Service Desk & Desktop Support
• Builds/obtains training material for support staff
• As needed, schedule employees working times and provide backup support
• Provide data and reporting of to IT department and others in ad-hoc, weekly, monthly and as needed
• Chair weekly & monthly reviews by gathering all teams to discuss performance & ongoing issues
• Monitor progression & cost of IMAC team & completion periods
• Work to make Service Desk the single point of contact for all IT related queries
• Key Highlights for Great Eastern Life Bhd: Project Manager for 2013 PC Refresh for 1200 devices & Win7 upgrade for all users
• Project Manager for Service Desk & Desktop Support replacement (2014) and successfully completed transition project from incumbent to newly appointed vendor
• Listed Technical Evaluation Committee member for IT any IT related project/tender
• Chairperson for Weekly Service Review between all groups (2014)
• Chair Person for monthly service review with vendor (Service Desk & Desktop Support)
• Oversee Incident Management / Problem Management processes/scope.