Priyesh Gopalakrishnan
Building Credibility in an Industry That Changes Overnight
When Priyesh Gopalakrishnan looks back at his 26-year journey in the IT industry, there is no single moment he identifies as the turning point. Instead, his career has been shaped by a series of adaptations—some deliberate, others forced by circumstance—in an industry that rarely allows professionals the comfort of staying still.
Priyesh was born in Perumbavoor and moved to Kochi in 1980 and completed his schooling at Rajagiri, finishing his Class 10 in 1990. He graduated in Electrical & Electronics Engineering from MA College, Kothamangalam, one of only six engineering colleges in Kerala at the time. Like many engineers of his generation, his entry into the IT world was not driven by long-term planning but by timing.
“Agile, project management, and leadership are not separate problems. In real life, they collide every day”
That timing coincided with the Y2K phenomenon. As the year 2000 approached, global systems faced a problem rooted in something deceptively small: two-digit date formats that could not process the change of century. Fixing this required massive code rewrites, particularly in legacy systems. India became a key talent destination, and Priyesh entered the industry during this surge.
After graduating in 1997, he joined Cognizant in January 1998. His early work focused on mainframe technology—then critical for banking and large-scale enterprise systems, and still relevant today. The pace was demanding, but it laid a foundation in discipline, accuracy, and scale.
Within a year and a half, Priyesh received an opportunity to work onsite in Switzerland for four months. That assignment marked the beginning of a phase of extensive international travel, where work often meant moving between countries, clients and cultures. Later a two-year assignment in the UK, expanded his understanding of how global teams function. During the UK stint, he and his wife moved with their three-month-old daughter—a phase that tested both professional resilience and personal priorities. Eventually, the decision to return to India was a conscious one, shaped by family considerations and a desire for long-term stability.
Stepping out of a stable role wasn’t about ambition. It was about not wanting to wake up one day and realise I had become outdated
Over time, Priyesh rose into leadership roles, managing teams and projects in a company that grew from 900employees when he joined to over 3.5 lakh by 2024. Yet with growth came an uncomfortable realisation. Management responsibilities often meant moving away from hands-on technology. In an industry where skills age quickly, this created a quiet fear—of becoming replaceable, of losing relevance.
That concern sharpened during periods of layoffs, particularly as the sole earning member of the family. Rather than ignoring it, Priyesh chose to respond by expanding his skill set. He earned Agile certification in 2012, recognising the shift in how software teams were expected to function. Over the years, he has trained 5000professionals in Agile practices, working with organisations navigating rapid change.
The next transition came during the pandemic. Priyesh stepped out of full-time corporate employment to build an independent platform focused on training and leadership development.
Through the platform, Catalyzt360 consulting services started with two other partners,andnow it operates across three primary verticals: Agile training, Project Management (PMP) trainings, and leadership development. He is aCertified Leadership Coach with deep experience in Large-Scale Program and Portfolio Management, Agile Strategy, and Project Management. His credentials include SAFe SPC (Scaled Agile Practice Consultant), NLP Master Practitioner, Enneagram Coach, and authorized PMI-PMP instructor—a combination that reflects both technical depth and behavioural insight.
What sets his work apart is not certification alone but application. Priyesh’s training blends real-world IT experience with psychological and behavioural frameworks, helping managers and teams address issues like accountability, communication gaps, and resistance to change. Rather than offering fixed curricula, his programs are customised to organisational needs, delivered through flexible formats ranging from short workshops to six-month blended learning engagements.Much of the current work involves collaborating with large organizations across India.
Beyond commercial engagements, Priyesh remains active in professional communities. He is a long-standing member of the Project Management Institute (PMI) and has served in leadership roles within the PMI Kerala Chapter, including Vice President of Social Outreach. He has delivered a TEDx talk in Kottayam, presented a paper on cognitive bias at the PMI South Asia PMI Conference in Delhi, and continues to speak at campuses and professional forums. For him, public speaking is less a business strategy and more a way to “touch more lives.”
“If people leave a session thinking a little differently than when they walked in, that’s enough.”
Away from work, Priyesh is also an avid runner and a cyclist. He is also a part of Soles of Cochin, a Kochi-based running community, and has completed four full marathons and over fifty half marathons over the years. His endurance pursuits extend beyond running- He has also successfully completed a 200 kilometre cycling event. For Priyesh, these disciplines mirror his professional philosophy: learning should remain consistentand resilient.
His family remains a steady anchor in his journey. His wife Lakshmi works part-time as an announcer with All India Radio 102.3 FM, Kochi, and also supports his professional work by handling contract processes. Their daughter, Meenakshi, has recently graduated in Bachelor of Design in Fashion Communication at NIFT and now works in Bangalore after securing a role through campus placement. His son in studying in 12th standard and is a national level high jump athlete.
Priyesh’s story is not about dramatic exits or rapid scaling. It is about staying relevant, choosing courage over comfort, and building credibility one engagement at a time—quietly, consistently, and with intent.
Contact Mr. Priyesh Gopalakrishnan @Mob: +91 9895477044
