Shekar has 35+ years of global experience with strong background in engineering design, software product development and sales/ marketing of products/ services in international markets. Since late 2014, until Sep 2021, he was very active as the President of Aerospace Industry Development Association of Tamil Nadu – dedicated to support and enhance the aerospace and defense companies in Tamil Nadu. He was also charter member with TiE Chennai and advises Chennai based start-ups – Fabheads and Agnikul. He has served at CXO level globally for over 20 years. Most recently, he was the Vice President of Corporate Strategy and the Managing Director for CDG India – A Boeing Company. Prior to CDG, he has served in senior and CXO roles at various companies such as PTC, Sun Microsystems, System Software Associates, SIFY, Cyient and P3 Group and has served in the USA, Singapore and India.  In 2001, he co-founded a successful and first ever VC funded Software Product Company in India with investment from Softbank Venture Funds and exited the same in 2005. He is a graduate in Mech Eng. from Bangalore University and also holds a master’s degree in Mech Eng. from Univ of Texas at Arlington, TX and a MBA in Marketing from San Jose State University, CA. He is an advisor on the board of Prajnya, an NGO focused on gender violence and security issues – issues he is passionate about.