Cactus Communications Appoints Akhilesh Ayer As New CEO

Cactus Communications has appointed Akhilesh Ayer as its new Chief Executive Officer. Abhishek Goel, founder and outgoing CEO will continue to serve as a board member and transition into the role of Chief Mentor.

 Under Abhishek Goel’s leadership, partnering with researchers, institutions, and publishers worldwide to accelerate research publishing and impact. This leadership change aligns with CACTUS's strategic vision for its next phase of growth and innovation as the company enters its third decade.

Akhilesh comes with over 25 years of leadership experience in running global businesses, managing clients and running transformation programs across a range of industry verticals, products and services. His previous experience include leadership stints at WNS, GE and Crisil amongst others.

Abhishek Goel expressed his enthusiasm for the company's future under Ayer's leadership, “I am delighted to welcome Akhilesh Ayer as the new CEO of Cactus Communications. CACTUS has significant untapped potential in multiple areas and, we believe this is an opportune time to bring on a new CEO to help realize this potential. Akhilesh is a seasoned leader with over two decades of experience in leading global teams through digital transformation, driving both top and bottom-line growth. His vision for leveraging technology aligns well with our goals for innovation and expansion. Akhilesh’s expertise will be pivotal in shaping our next chapter.”

Akhilesh Ayer joins CACTUS from WNS Global Services, where he served as Executive Vice President & Head of Data, Analytics, AI & Research (Triange) business unit. At WNS, he successfully transformed the business unit by adopting a differentiated go-to-market strategy, re-imagining the product-service mix, building a best-in-class operational ecosystem and bringing in industry-leading people practices that helped achieve stellar results. 

He also played a key role in the business unit’s M&A strategy, leading successful acquisitions and integrations. Akhilesh Ayer commented on his appointment, “I am excited to join CACTUS and for the opportunity to lead the company. I believe that the industry we operate in is on the brink of a transformative disruption. I am energized by the immense potential to drive growth and enhance the CACTUS experience for its customers while remaining true to its mission and values.”a