Transition at Sonata: Rajsekhar Datta Roy Is New CEO as Samir Dhir Steps Down

Why It Matters

The change gives Sonata a clear runway to scale its AI‑first strategy, while signaling to investors that the company is positioning itself for faster, margin‑rich growth in a rapidly evolving IT services market.

Key Takeaways

• Roy promoted from chief delivery officer to CEO for three-year term
• Sonata posted $1.2 bn revenue, up 15.5% YoY
• Board aims to accelerate AI‑first strategy under new leadership
• AI disruption poses risk to traditional IT services revenue
• Analysts expect stronger deal momentum and margin improvement

Pulse Analysis

Sonata Software announced a planned succession on May 8, 2026, with chief delivery officer Rajsekhar Datta Roy taking over from Samir Dhir, who has led the firm since April 2022. The board appointed Roy for a three‑year term, signaling a deliberate handover rather than a crisis‑driven change. Sonata closed the fiscal year with $1.2 billion in revenue, a 15.5 % year‑on‑year increase, positioning it among the few Indian IT services firms exceeding the $1 billion threshold. The transition marks the fourth CEO in the company’s history.

Roy’s track record centers on delivering an ‘AI‑first’ agenda, highlighted by the launch of Harmoni.AI, a responsible‑AI platform for process automation. The push aligns with a broader industry shift as generative AI tools automate routine coding and support tasks, threatening traditional billable‑hours models. Competitors such as LTIMindtree and global players are racing to embed AI into service offerings, creating a crowded mid‑market where differentiation hinges on speed, data governance, and measurable ROI. Executives warn that mastering AI at scale will be the decisive factor for growth.

Analysts expect Roy to translate Sonata’s AI narrative into tangible revenue streams, tighter margins, and a stronger pipeline in sectors like healthcare, BFSI, and retail. The board’s confidence in a “clean runway” suggests an appetite for aggressive go‑to‑market initiatives and potential acquisitions to broaden AI capabilities. For investors, the leadership change reduces succession risk while raising expectations for accelerated top‑line growth. In the wider Indian IT services landscape, Sonata’s move underscores how firms must evolve beyond legacy delivery to remain competitive in an AI‑driven future.