Mr. Karthikeyan Marappan  for being awarded “Leadership Excellence in Digital Transformation & Innovation – Information Technology (USA)“

Awarded by Bizox Media Network as a Global Technology Leaders Awards 2025 

1. Kindly brief us about the outset of your career.

I began my career as a software professional in late 2000, shortly after graduating from Bharathiar University. In 2003, I had the opportunity to travel to the United States, where I led multiple software initiatives, including the implementation of SaaS and digital solutions for a global financial services organization specializing in Insurance and Retirement Services.

Over the years, I’ve taken on progressively senior leadership roles and currently lead a portfolio of business applications within the Corebridge Financial Technology division. My work centers on driving business and digital transformation, particularly within Group Retirement and Wealth Management solutions. With a strong focus on product delivery, data management, analytics, and business transformation, I deliver strategic value by aligning technology initiatives with organizational goals to accelerate growth, enhance efficiency, and enable data-driven decision-making.

2. As a successful leader, which three personal qualities do you believe contributed most to your success?

As a leader, I believe three personal qualities have contributed most to my success: commitment, continuous learning, and empathy.

First, commitment has been at the core of everything I do. Whether it’s delivering on strategic goals or supporting my team during challenging transitions, I stay fully invested in the mission and the people. I believe consistency and follow-through are essential to building trust and driving results.

Second, continuous learning has helped me stay adaptable and relevant, especially in fast-changing environments. I actively seek opportunities to upskill, whether it’s learning new technologies, improving my leadership approach, or understanding different parts of the business. That mindset has allowed me to lead through complexity with confidence.

Lastly, empathy has shaped how I connect with others. I make it a priority to understand different perspectives, support my team on both personal and professional levels, and create a culture where people feel valued. Especially during times of change, empathy has been key to maintaining engagement and cohesion.
Together, these qualities have helped me grow as a leader and build strong, resilient teams.

3. What are the aims and ideals that guide you as an individual and a professional?

As a senior IT leader, the ideals that guide me are rooted in strategic alignment, continuous evolution, and people-first leadership.

First, I believe in the power of strategic alignment — ensuring that every technology initiative directly supports the broader business vision. IT isn’t just a support function; it’s a strategic enabler of growth, innovation, and operational excellence. I prioritize understanding business goals and aligning technology roadmaps to deliver measurable impact.

Second, I’m driven by continuous evolution — both in terms of embracing emerging technologies and fostering a culture of learning. In today’s landscape, agility and innovation are critical. I stay current with industry trends and encourage my teams to challenge the status quo, experiment, and grow.

Lastly, people-first leadership is a core ideal for me. Technology only moves forward when people are empowered, supported, and engaged. I lead with empathy, transparency, and trust — creating environments where high-performing teams can thrive and contribute to a shared mission.

These values have helped me lead through transformation, navigate change, and deliver enterprise-level results while building strong, resilient teams.

4. What are the primary offerings of your company?

Corebridge Financial is one of the largest and most established providers of retirement solutions and insurance products in the United States, with a proven legacy of helping individuals secure their financial futures.

At Corebridge, we’re driven by a simple but powerful mission: empowering people to take control of their financial goals—today and for the future. We offer a broad and flexible portfolio of products tailored to meet a wide range of needs, and we proudly collaborate with financial professionals and institutions to extend our reach and impact.

I’m part of an innovative team supporting the Retirement Services division, which delivers 403(b), 401(k), IRA, and Wealth Management solutions for nonprofit organizations and individuals. Our focus is on helping clients navigate retirement with confidence by offering the right guidance, tools, and strategies to build long-term financial security.

At Corebridge, we know that financial success doesn’t happen by chance, it happens by choice. We’re here to make that choice easier and more achievable for everyone.

5. What have been the toughest obstacles you’ve faced in your career?

One of the toughest obstacles I’ve faced in my career was during a recent organizational separation, where we transitioned from being part of a larger company to forming our own independent entity. This shift required us to build infrastructure from the ground up, migrate critical applications to cloud platforms, and establish new technology and business units to support the transition.

Leading through this change was incredibly challenging. I had to quickly adapt to evolving expectations and processes, all while guiding and motivating my team through a time of uncertainty and shifting responsibilities. It tested my ability to stay focused, communicate clearly, and support others emotionally and professionally.

Ultimately, it was a defining experience that strengthened my leadership skills and gave me a deeper understanding of how to drive successful transformation under pressure.

6. Who in your life inspires you the most?

The people who inspire me most are my father and Sridhar Vembu.

My father has always been a personal role model — he led with quiet strength, integrity, and unwavering commitment. He taught me the value of hard work, humility, and treating people with respect. Those principles have stayed with me throughout my career and continue to guide how I lead and support my teams today.

Professionally, Sridhar Vembu, the founder of Zoho, is someone I deeply admire. His unconventional approach to business, commitment to long-term thinking, and belief in building products from the ground up — without relying on external funding — are incredibly inspiring. What stands out most is his focus on creating impact beyond profits, especially his investment in rural talent and decentralizing opportunities. As someone passionate about technology, leadership, and making a meaningful difference, I find his philosophy both visionary and grounded in purpose.

Together, these two influences remind me to lead with integrity, think long-term, invest in people, and remain true to my values.

7. What would be your future endeavors, and where do you see yourself in the near future?

In the near future, I see myself continuing to grow as a strategic IT leader, with a clear focus on harnessing AI and Data to transform the way organizations operate — especially within the Retirement Services and Wealth Management space.

As the industry continues to evolve, there’s a tremendous opportunity to leverage emerging technologies to personalize client experiences, enhance risk management, and drive operational efficiency. I’m particularly interested in advancing data-driven strategies that improve decision-making, automate complex processes, and deliver meaningful insights across the organization. At the same time, I see AI playing a key role in everything from intelligent automation to predictive analytics, helping both advisors and clients make smarter financial decisions.

My future endeavors include deepening my capabilities in cloud strategy, AI governance, and enterprise data architecture, while also fostering a culture of innovation and responsible technology use. I’m committed to building high-performing teams and mentoring future IT leaders who understand both the technology and the business.

Ultimately, I aspire to step into broader executive roles where I can influence long-term strategy, lead enterprise transformation, and position technology as a true enabler of growth and differentiation in the retirement and wealth management industry.

8. Your journey has been inspiring, and it sets a great example for aspiring leaders. What advice do you have for them?

As technology professionals, we often dive deep into solutions, tools, and platforms. But it’s essential to take a step back and ask why. What business outcome are we trying to drive? What problem are we truly solving?

Technology is a powerful enabler—but only when it’s aligned with purpose and outcomes. The real value comes when we use our technical skills to make a meaningful impact on the business and the people it serves.

Also, never stop learning. In this fast-evolving world, staying current is not optional; it’s necessary. Set aside 30 to 60 minutes each day to learn something new. Whether it’s a concept, a trend, or a tool, continuous learning empowers you to grow, adapt, and make the difference you’re meant to make in this society.

Mr. Karthikeyan Marappan : https://www.linkedin.com/in/karthik-marappan-2a106312/