LEKSHMI PILLAI
Westmont,IL
Summary
Strategic data engineering leader with over 19 years of success in spearheading enterprise-scale data platforms and analytics initiatives across Banking, Retail, and Logistics. Proven expertise in crafting data strategies that align with business objectives, modernizing architectures, and achieving measurable results. Authority in cultivating high-performing global teams, steering cloud transformation, and establishing robust data governance, quality, and security frameworks. Trusted advisor to C-suite leaders, adept at converting intricate technical capabilities into significant business insights.
Overview
20
20
years of professional experience
Work History
Director Data Engineering and Analytics
MEDSPEED LLC
Elmhurst, USA
10.2023 - Current
- Defined the enterprise data strategy and multi-year roadmap, aligning data investments with business objectives and securing executive buy-in.
- Modernized the data architecture by migrating from Azure SQL Data Warehouse to Snowflake on AWS, reducing query latency by 80%, lowering infrastructure costs by 25%, and enabling near real-time analytics.
- Implemented Informatica Cloud Data Governance and Catalog (CDGC), delivering end-to-end data lineage, stewardship workflows, and compliance with regulatory requirements; reduced data quality incidents by 60% and accelerated onboarding of new datasets.
- Upgraded the ETL ecosystem to Informatica Intelligent Data Management Cloud (IDMC) and designed automated ingestion pipelines from Salesforce, Geotab telematics, and proprietary routing software into a unified data lake; improved data availability
- Architected a modern analytics platform leveraging Snowflake and Python, cutting analytics cycle time by 50% and enabling predictive models for driver safety, labor optimization, and customer health; initiatives delivered a 15% improvement in fleet safety scores and 10% reduction in overtime costs.
- Established robust data governance policies, security controls, and access management processes, ensuring compliance and resilience through full replication and failover strategies.
- Partnered with Finance, Operations, and IT leaders to prioritize analytics initiatives and developed KPI dashboards for route optimization, workforce productivity, and customer experience; insights drove tangible improvements in delivery efficiency and client retention.
Sr. Manager, Data Integration Program Manager / Delivery Manager
COGNIZANT TECHNOLOGY SOLUTIONS
Oak Brook, USA
11.2021 - 09.2023
- Led a $10M portfolio of data engineering and BI programs for Fortune 500 clients across retail and consumer goods sector. Managed a distributed team of 50+ engineers, architects,product managers,developers, QA analysts, and consultants across the U.S., India.
- Worked with client executives to craft data strategies, define success metrics, and design modern data platforms . Achieved on-time, on-budget delivery on 95% of projects and improved client satisfaction scores by 50%.
- Implemented project governance, quality assurance, and risk management frameworks; increased delivery efficiency by 30% and decreased defects by 25%.
- Fostered a culture of innovation and continuous improvement by mentoring project leads and promoting best practices in data architecture, agile methodologies, and automation.
- Built strong client relationships through transparent communication, executive reporting, and proactive issue resolution,secured repeat business and expanded engagements.
Project Manager
COGNIZANT TECHNOLOGY SOLUTIONS
Oak Brook, USA
10.2017 - 10.2021
- Led a multi-year business transformation program to consolidate multiple legacy systems into a centralized data warehouse for a global logistics client. Oversaw scope definition, resource planning, budget management ,and risk mitigation across all phases of the project lifecycle.
- Managed a cross-functional team of 40 engineers, ETL developers, QA, and reporting analysts to design and deploy scalable ETL workflows using Informatica PowerCenter and deliver interactive dashboards via WebFOCUS and Power BI.
- Delivered the program ahead of schedule and within budget, resulting in streamlined operations, improved reporting accuracy, and faster time-to-decision for business users.
- Introduced change management and communication strategies to ensure stakeholder alignment and adoption of new data tools and processes; increased user adoption rate to 95% within six months of go-live.
- Mentored and coached team members, fostering professional growth and building a pipeline of future leaders.
Sr. Associate / ETL Lead
COGNIZANT TECHNOLOGY SOLUTIONS
Oak Brook, USA
01.2014 - 09.2017
- Served as technical lead on large-scale data warehousing and ETL initiatives; designed and maintained efficient, scalable data pipelines using Informatica PowerCenter across diverse source systems.
- Collaborated with business and technical stakeholders to capture requirements, design data models, and ensure data quality and reliability through rigorous testing and validation.
- Optimized ETL performance through code reviews and tuning, reducing runtimes by 30% and enabling faster availability of data for analytics.
- Provided mentorship and training to junior engineers and facilitated cross-team collaboration.
Associate
COGNIZANT TECHNOLOGY SOLUTIONS
Oak Brook, USA
12.2009 - 12.2013
- Analyzed user requirements, designed and developed ETL processes to load enterprise data into the Data Warehouse.
- Documented data architecture designs and changes, ensuring knowledge transfer and system maintainability.
ETL Developer
INFOSYS TECHNOLOGIES
Bangalore, India
01.2006 - 12.2009
- Developed ETL mappings and workflows in Informatica PowerCenter for clients including Lehman Brothers and Bank of America, ensuring seamless integration of data across systems.
- Conducted requirements analysis, coordinated with stakeholders, and delivered high-quality data integration solutions that supported critical business functions.
- Provided .NET development services for clients such as LNR Partners Europe and Etihad Airways, enhancing cross-functional technical expertise.
Education
Master of Computer Applications -
MES Engineering College
01.2005
Bachelor of Electronics -
College of Applied Sciences
01.2002
Skills
- Data Strategy & Roadmaps
- Cloud Data Platforms (Snowflake,GCP)
- Data Warehousing & Data Lakes
- Data Governance & Compliance
- Modern ETL & Orchestration (Informatica IDMC, Python,Airflow)
- Advanced Analytics & AI Platforms
- Product & Program Management
- Cross-Functional Leadership & Stakeholder Management
- Budgeting & Resource Planning
- Change Management
- Team Building & Mentorship
- Informatica PowerCenter/IDMC
- AWS
- Azure
- SQL Server
- Salesforce
- WebFOCUS
- Power BI
- Tableau
- Hadoop
- Python
- SQL
- Teradata
- Data governance frameworks
- Building diverse and inclusive teams
- Mentoring future leaders
- Fostering a collaborative, innovation-driven culture
Additional Information
Informatica PowerCenter/IDMC, Snowflake, AWS, Azure, SQL Server, Salesforce, WebFOCUS, Power BI, Tableau, Hadoop, Python, SQL, Teradata, Ongoing learning in cloud-native data engineering , data governance frameworks, Experienced in building diverse and inclusive teams, mentoring future leaders, and fostering a collaborative, innovation-driven culture.
Timeline
Director Data Engineering and Analytics
MEDSPEED LLC
10.2023 - Current
Sr. Manager, Data Integration Program Manager / Delivery Manager
COGNIZANT TECHNOLOGY SOLUTIONS
11.2021 - 09.2023
Project Manager
COGNIZANT TECHNOLOGY SOLUTIONS
10.2017 - 10.2021
Sr. Associate / ETL Lead
COGNIZANT TECHNOLOGY SOLUTIONS
01.2014 - 09.2017
Associate
COGNIZANT TECHNOLOGY SOLUTIONS
12.2009 - 12.2013
ETL Developer
INFOSYS TECHNOLOGIES
01.2006 - 12.2009
Master of Computer Applications -
MES Engineering College
Bachelor of Electronics -
College of Applied Sciences