Our team
Our team is young, motivated and energetic backed by a leadership that is experienced, dynamic and driven by perfection.
Nurtured on creativity, our team is agile, committed and excited to take up any challenging project. Add to this the diversity factor that comes in handy while executing critical work. Our team is straight forward, loyal and love what they do at pepper square.
Nurtured on creativity, our team is agile, committed and excited to take up any challenging project. Add to this the diversity factor that comes in handy while executing critical work. Our team is straight forward, loyal and love what they do at pepper square.
- 1
- 2
Muki
Founder & CEO
Muki founded pepper square with 11 dollars in his pocket. A people´s person, Muki leverages 18 years of experience in the field of branding, experience design, emerging media, integrated marketing and technology development. Muki has influenced over 150 companies from brand building to exit strategy in his career.
Muki´s digital strategy for one of India´s large IT companies has helped them garner $230 million worth of leads through their online initiatives.
A combination of high energy and extreme passion, his skills to connect and mentoring abilities, have seen 12 entrepreneurs born from pepper square. Muki is a Charter Member of the prestigious TIE (The Indus Entrepreneurs, the largest and the oldest entrepreneurial association in the world). He regularly devotes his time to enhancing the entrepreneurial ecosystem through TIE and other non-profit organizations.
Founder & CEO
Muki founded pepper square with 11 dollars in his pocket. A people´s person, Muki leverages 18 years of experience in the field of branding, experience design, emerging media, integrated marketing and technology development. Muki has influenced over 150 companies from brand building to exit strategy in his career.
Muki´s digital strategy for one of India´s large IT companies has helped them garner $230 million worth of leads through their online initiatives.
A combination of high energy and extreme passion, his skills to connect and mentoring abilities, have seen 12 entrepreneurs born from pepper square. Muki is a Charter Member of the prestigious TIE (The Indus Entrepreneurs, the largest and the oldest entrepreneurial association in the world). He regularly devotes his time to enhancing the entrepreneurial ecosystem through TIE and other non-profit organizations.
Jyothi Kiran
Director, Content Strategy
Writer, teacher and journalist, JK has 20 years experience in the industry working with various forms of content - online, mobile, new media, print, e-learning and corporate communications. Not surprising, she’s often called the digital anthropologist who intuitively maps business goals with content strategies with her cross-domain experience.
JK is a free soul and brings unconventional thinking with her, has published widely on women´s empowerment and on the intersections between technology and culture. She is passionate about small ideas creating a big impact and blogs about the social implications of technology and science at www.nanomaya.com.
Prior to pepper square, JK was Professor/Director of New Media at the Indian Institute of Journalism& New Media. JK is Masters in English from Bangalore University and has studied Communications from University of Illinois, Springfield. A constant thirst for knowledge and new ideas keeps her on the go and her latest acquisition is a diploma in filmmaking from the New York Film Academy.
Director, Content Strategy
Writer, teacher and journalist, JK has 20 years experience in the industry working with various forms of content - online, mobile, new media, print, e-learning and corporate communications. Not surprising, she’s often called the digital anthropologist who intuitively maps business goals with content strategies with her cross-domain experience.
JK is a free soul and brings unconventional thinking with her, has published widely on women´s empowerment and on the intersections between technology and culture. She is passionate about small ideas creating a big impact and blogs about the social implications of technology and science at www.nanomaya.com.
Prior to pepper square, JK was Professor/Director of New Media at the Indian Institute of Journalism& New Media. JK is Masters in English from Bangalore University and has studied Communications from University of Illinois, Springfield. A constant thirst for knowledge and new ideas keeps her on the go and her latest acquisition is a diploma in filmmaking from the New York Film Academy.
Sriram Tadimalla
Mentor & Financial advisor
Sriram is special to everyone at pepper square and is an integral part of the company since its inception. Sriram has three decades of experience helping various companies grow to multimillion-dollar revenues through astute and strategic thinking.
Sriram is the pillar behind pepper square's success; he has built a world-class governance model at pepper square, helping the company and its clients meet the challenges of today´s business environment. He is connected to who is who of the Indian industry helping bring innovative perspectives to pepper square’s commitment to business of digital services.
He has served as India national president of Institute of Internal Auditors (IIA) Inc, USA. the largest professional body of auditors and has been a member of the national and state level Board of Governors for over a decade.
When he is not involved in advising and structuring corporates, you will find Sriram mentoring young guns and zealously participating in Rotary activities, of which he has contributed variously as Chairman and President.
Mentor & Financial advisor
Sriram is special to everyone at pepper square and is an integral part of the company since its inception. Sriram has three decades of experience helping various companies grow to multimillion-dollar revenues through astute and strategic thinking.
Sriram is the pillar behind pepper square's success; he has built a world-class governance model at pepper square, helping the company and its clients meet the challenges of today´s business environment. He is connected to who is who of the Indian industry helping bring innovative perspectives to pepper square’s commitment to business of digital services.
He has served as India national president of Institute of Internal Auditors (IIA) Inc, USA. the largest professional body of auditors and has been a member of the national and state level Board of Governors for over a decade.
When he is not involved in advising and structuring corporates, you will find Sriram mentoring young guns and zealously participating in Rotary activities, of which he has contributed variously as Chairman and President.
Arjun Chaganty
Chief Technology Officer
Arjun brings over 15 years of technical and managerial experience on board. His passion for technology and fresh thinking are the biggest assets he brings to the pepper square team. One helluva thinker who loves challenges, his non-conformist and open mind spices up life at pepper square.
His communication and leadership skills have won him several awards related to motivation and training, customer satisfaction and managing crisis. A compulsive problem solver he seeks to find solutions to everyday business problems with the science of technology. Where did he inherit this streak of questioning? It must be something to do with his love for Lego or perhaps it’s just that he is trying to seriously find answers to the unending ‘why’s his son asks him every day- a philosophy he sincerely advocates to everyone at pepper square.
Arjun’s prior experience with Intel, McAfee, Tata Infotech and his own startup Quadyne (four years) helps him streamline solutions that are agile and market driven.
Arjun holds a Bachelors of Engineering in Computer Science from the University of Mumbai and a diploma in Business Administration from ICFAI.
Chief Technology Officer
Arjun brings over 15 years of technical and managerial experience on board. His passion for technology and fresh thinking are the biggest assets he brings to the pepper square team. One helluva thinker who loves challenges, his non-conformist and open mind spices up life at pepper square.
His communication and leadership skills have won him several awards related to motivation and training, customer satisfaction and managing crisis. A compulsive problem solver he seeks to find solutions to everyday business problems with the science of technology. Where did he inherit this streak of questioning? It must be something to do with his love for Lego or perhaps it’s just that he is trying to seriously find answers to the unending ‘why’s his son asks him every day- a philosophy he sincerely advocates to everyone at pepper square.
Arjun’s prior experience with Intel, McAfee, Tata Infotech and his own startup Quadyne (four years) helps him streamline solutions that are agile and market driven.
Arjun holds a Bachelors of Engineering in Computer Science from the University of Mumbai and a diploma in Business Administration from ICFAI.
Mario Lewis
Chief Operating Officer
A leader in business process optimization, Mario brings over 20 years experience in IT services and consulting across a number of industry domains worldwide. A strategic thinker who has the ability to see the big picture while continuing to excel in details, Mario’s key capabilities are in IT application services delivery management and corporate governance.
Prior to joining pepper square, Mario played leadership roles in Tech Mahindra, PA Consulting Group, Perot Systems and Tata Infotech (now TCS).
Mario's approach to business as in life is the same - keeping it simple, practical and ethical. He is both objective and approachable, a rare combination that helps in bringing clarity out of chaos in any situation.
Mario is a Bachelor of Engineering from Manipal Institute of Technology and has an MBA in Operations Management from Saint Mary's University, Canada.
Mario has published a book on offshoring titled: "IT Application Service Offshoring: an insider’s guide"
And yes, if you ever catch Mario looking up at the sky, it isn't because he's checking the weather, he is just getting in touch with his imaginary side that nurtures a secret passion for flying.
Chief Operating Officer
A leader in business process optimization, Mario brings over 20 years experience in IT services and consulting across a number of industry domains worldwide. A strategic thinker who has the ability to see the big picture while continuing to excel in details, Mario’s key capabilities are in IT application services delivery management and corporate governance.
Prior to joining pepper square, Mario played leadership roles in Tech Mahindra, PA Consulting Group, Perot Systems and Tata Infotech (now TCS).
Mario's approach to business as in life is the same - keeping it simple, practical and ethical. He is both objective and approachable, a rare combination that helps in bringing clarity out of chaos in any situation.
Mario is a Bachelor of Engineering from Manipal Institute of Technology and has an MBA in Operations Management from Saint Mary's University, Canada.
Mario has published a book on offshoring titled: "IT Application Service Offshoring: an insider’s guide"
And yes, if you ever catch Mario looking up at the sky, it isn't because he's checking the weather, he is just getting in touch with his imaginary side that nurtures a secret passion for flying.
Rajesh Kumar.A.S
Senior Manager, Finance
Rajesh brings over 10 years of finance experience with him to the company and is a champion of corporate governance. He is meticulous and disciplined and has an unusual eye for detail. His favorite quote sums up his personality: 'From one spark of life millions of lives emerged'.
He hails from ´Thrissur´ the cultural Capital of Kerala, a major financial and commercial hub of South India after Chennai & Kochi. Rajesh is highly efficient, loyal, and loves to take on challenges.
He is a great example of a typical south Indian. Rajesh is soft-spoken, down to earth and he believes that his work must speak. Most of the Saturdays he is in the office finishing his work so that he can come happy on Mondays. He takes off with his family for 15 days every year to attend the great "Pooram festival" in Thrissur.
Senior Manager, Finance
Rajesh brings over 10 years of finance experience with him to the company and is a champion of corporate governance. He is meticulous and disciplined and has an unusual eye for detail. His favorite quote sums up his personality: 'From one spark of life millions of lives emerged'.
He hails from ´Thrissur´ the cultural Capital of Kerala, a major financial and commercial hub of South India after Chennai & Kochi. Rajesh is highly efficient, loyal, and loves to take on challenges.
He is a great example of a typical south Indian. Rajesh is soft-spoken, down to earth and he believes that his work must speak. Most of the Saturdays he is in the office finishing his work so that he can come happy on Mondays. He takes off with his family for 15 days every year to attend the great "Pooram festival" in Thrissur.
Sutapa Karmakar
Senior Associate, People Management
For the last three years at pepper square, Sutapa has seen them all; the veteran know-alls, the tongue-tied geeks, the noisy creatives, and the bashful new recruits trying to find their voice.
But it is her natural ability of delving beyond the superfluous personality traits of the personnel to sift between the grasshoppers and the ants, which is an asset to the company. Her constant endeavor is to work the group dynamics of the team to get the best out of them.
A postgraduate in Media and Communications, Sutapa can visualize and map the growth of the company through the quality of the people she recruits. For, she knows that the true wealth of the company is her people and is hence constantly in the process of motivating and empowering the team.
Senior Associate, People Management
For the last three years at pepper square, Sutapa has seen them all; the veteran know-alls, the tongue-tied geeks, the noisy creatives, and the bashful new recruits trying to find their voice.
But it is her natural ability of delving beyond the superfluous personality traits of the personnel to sift between the grasshoppers and the ants, which is an asset to the company. Her constant endeavor is to work the group dynamics of the team to get the best out of them.
A postgraduate in Media and Communications, Sutapa can visualize and map the growth of the company through the quality of the people she recruits. For, she knows that the true wealth of the company is her people and is hence constantly in the process of motivating and empowering the team.
Balaguru Shanmugam
Senior Manager, UX & UI
Bala has been in the design industry for over 12 years. His expertise in creating user experience, product UI and mobile interfaces are a great asset to the company. You cannot find a single person at pepper square who has not learned from Bala’s unconditional love for sharing his experience has seen him quietly nurturing several young designers and as a team leader he is very down to earth and grounded who doesn’t lose his cool ever.
Bala has worked with clients across the US, Europe, Middle East and India. At pepper square, he leverages this experience along with an in-depth understanding of technology to create simple user interface designs, software and mobile applications, product designs, ideation and story-boards, flash presentations, portals and other collateral designs.
Earlier, Bala worked with Xerox PARC where he was responsible for visualization of several large digital rights management solutions for clients like MP3.com, Adobe, Microsoft, etc. His recent work of www.wipro.com has won 8 international awards and is considered a benchmark in the Indian IT industry.
Bala is Bachelors in Mathematics and he is a self-taught designer who started sculpting at the age of 13.
Senior Manager, UX & UI
Bala has been in the design industry for over 12 years. His expertise in creating user experience, product UI and mobile interfaces are a great asset to the company. You cannot find a single person at pepper square who has not learned from Bala’s unconditional love for sharing his experience has seen him quietly nurturing several young designers and as a team leader he is very down to earth and grounded who doesn’t lose his cool ever.
Bala has worked with clients across the US, Europe, Middle East and India. At pepper square, he leverages this experience along with an in-depth understanding of technology to create simple user interface designs, software and mobile applications, product designs, ideation and story-boards, flash presentations, portals and other collateral designs.
Earlier, Bala worked with Xerox PARC where he was responsible for visualization of several large digital rights management solutions for clients like MP3.com, Adobe, Microsoft, etc. His recent work of www.wipro.com has won 8 international awards and is considered a benchmark in the Indian IT industry.
Bala is Bachelors in Mathematics and he is a self-taught designer who started sculpting at the age of 13.
Senthil Kumar
Manager, Software Delivery
The secret is to pick up the phone and ask Senthil to deliver a complex solution and he will do it before you wake up in the morning. His understanding of software development and delivery cycles has helped transform ideas into applications that deliver performance and results, on time. Senthil also leads the tech team in on-demand R&D activities to find tools and best practices customizing solutions to address client requirements.
As an open source aficionado who also has a keen appreciation of Microsoft technologies, Senthil brings on board a technology agnostic approach that prioritizes business solutions.
He has successfully implemented latest technologies and trends such as ecommerce sites, portals, large web applications, forums, gallery, search engine, blogs, etc. Having been a serial entrepreneur himself, Senthil adds tremendous value for every project since he understands the end customers´ pain points.
He is the technical architect behind www.wipro.com one of the largest corporate websites in the world, which brings millions of dollars worth leads to Wipro.
Senthil is a Master of Computer Application from AVC College, Mayiladuthurai.
Manager, Software Delivery
The secret is to pick up the phone and ask Senthil to deliver a complex solution and he will do it before you wake up in the morning. His understanding of software development and delivery cycles has helped transform ideas into applications that deliver performance and results, on time. Senthil also leads the tech team in on-demand R&D activities to find tools and best practices customizing solutions to address client requirements.
As an open source aficionado who also has a keen appreciation of Microsoft technologies, Senthil brings on board a technology agnostic approach that prioritizes business solutions.
He has successfully implemented latest technologies and trends such as ecommerce sites, portals, large web applications, forums, gallery, search engine, blogs, etc. Having been a serial entrepreneur himself, Senthil adds tremendous value for every project since he understands the end customers´ pain points.
He is the technical architect behind www.wipro.com one of the largest corporate websites in the world, which brings millions of dollars worth leads to Wipro.
Senthil is a Master of Computer Application from AVC College, Mayiladuthurai.
Prafulla Kotari
Senior Associate, Operations
Prafulla is known for her dedication and open communication. A good listener who believes that everything can be solved by listening carefully, you will often find her crunching numbers voraciously. Invoices, time sheets, billing, and resource allocation and customer communication are what keep her busy throughout the day at pepper square.
Seriously, you don’t want to be caught idle when Prafulla is around. For her time is money and she can track every minute of your work using her performance transformation system. With a penchant for figures, Prafulla has numbers reeling out of her head like bubbles brimming on a glass of champagne.
A science graduate with five years experience in operations, Prafulla is currently pursuing her Management degree. A foodie who can talk about the best chicken available in India for hours, her recipe for success is fresh ideas marinated with the right ingredients for the right amount of time.
Senior Associate, Operations
Prafulla is known for her dedication and open communication. A good listener who believes that everything can be solved by listening carefully, you will often find her crunching numbers voraciously. Invoices, time sheets, billing, and resource allocation and customer communication are what keep her busy throughout the day at pepper square.
Seriously, you don’t want to be caught idle when Prafulla is around. For her time is money and she can track every minute of your work using her performance transformation system. With a penchant for figures, Prafulla has numbers reeling out of her head like bubbles brimming on a glass of champagne.
A science graduate with five years experience in operations, Prafulla is currently pursuing her Management degree. A foodie who can talk about the best chicken available in India for hours, her recipe for success is fresh ideas marinated with the right ingredients for the right amount of time.
Mahajan Shetty
Manager, Quality Assurance
It’s Mahajan’s extensive expertise with functional, validation, GUI, regression and usability testing with a comprehensive engagement in design and execution of test programs that keeps pepper square clients´ multimillion-dollar projects up and running.
Mahajan is responsible for raising the quality standard and performance bar of all the projects through his detail-oriented approach. His experience spans testing on client/server applications as well as web-based applications. Through his years of work exposure, he has acquired a grounded knowledge of the entire Software Development Lifecycle and is an expert in agile methodology.
Mahajan is Bachelors of Engineering and hails from the historical district of Gulbarga in South India, which boasts a unique synthesis of cultures. Mahajan says that the area, once the capital of the Bahamani kingdom in the 14th century and home to the founder of Carnatic music Purandara Dasa, has had a deep influence on him.
Manager, Quality Assurance
It’s Mahajan’s extensive expertise with functional, validation, GUI, regression and usability testing with a comprehensive engagement in design and execution of test programs that keeps pepper square clients´ multimillion-dollar projects up and running.
Mahajan is responsible for raising the quality standard and performance bar of all the projects through his detail-oriented approach. His experience spans testing on client/server applications as well as web-based applications. Through his years of work exposure, he has acquired a grounded knowledge of the entire Software Development Lifecycle and is an expert in agile methodology.
Mahajan is Bachelors of Engineering and hails from the historical district of Gulbarga in South India, which boasts a unique synthesis of cultures. Mahajan says that the area, once the capital of the Bahamani kingdom in the 14th century and home to the founder of Carnatic music Purandara Dasa, has had a deep influence on him.
Neelamohan S
Senior Engineer, Quality Assurance
Neelamohan started his career at pepper square. He is a great example for taking ownership of projects and having fun while completing his work with great detail orientation. When any project goes through his probing eyes you can rest assured it will turn out flawless. His testing mantra is "act dumb while testing" to find mistakes before the user finds them.
He has worked for a variety of pepper square clients ranging from product companies, web application and mobile VAS service providers and other corporate clients. If you want to create a pixel perfect user experience then make sure he takes a look at it before you go live.
One of pepper square clients from Portland “Concrete CMS” challenged him to find mistakes for $20 an error. And he earned more than $300.
An Engineering graduate, he believes in simplicity and is grateful to the small things he has, for he believes that in simplicity lies great strength.
Senior Engineer, Quality Assurance
Neelamohan started his career at pepper square. He is a great example for taking ownership of projects and having fun while completing his work with great detail orientation. When any project goes through his probing eyes you can rest assured it will turn out flawless. His testing mantra is "act dumb while testing" to find mistakes before the user finds them.
He has worked for a variety of pepper square clients ranging from product companies, web application and mobile VAS service providers and other corporate clients. If you want to create a pixel perfect user experience then make sure he takes a look at it before you go live.
One of pepper square clients from Portland “Concrete CMS” challenged him to find mistakes for $20 an error. And he earned more than $300.
An Engineering graduate, he believes in simplicity and is grateful to the small things he has, for he believes that in simplicity lies great strength.
Shankha S Das
Senior Associate, Customer Engagement
Shankha’s (fondly called as Honko) responsibilities include delivering web strategy and content services that helps client articulate their thoughts in a consumable communication that drives the message of the brand home.
Shankha has diverse experience in Web content writing and having previously worked for Yahoo and Infosys, he brings along essential project management and process skills with him. He is also trained in Six Sigma process. He strongly believes that science and arts are two sides of the same coin, and draws from both to maintain the right balance in creative and technical processes.
Shankha has an eclectic background. He has a Masters in Life Sciences and is currently pursuing his Ph.D. in Biosoftware and Genetic Engineering. He comes from Assam and is passionate about Dire Straits, soccer, tennis and wildlife conservation. He is working on dedicating his life to the people of North East and if you are passionate about North East of India he is just a beer away.
Senior Associate, Customer Engagement
Shankha’s (fondly called as Honko) responsibilities include delivering web strategy and content services that helps client articulate their thoughts in a consumable communication that drives the message of the brand home.
Shankha has diverse experience in Web content writing and having previously worked for Yahoo and Infosys, he brings along essential project management and process skills with him. He is also trained in Six Sigma process. He strongly believes that science and arts are two sides of the same coin, and draws from both to maintain the right balance in creative and technical processes.
Shankha has an eclectic background. He has a Masters in Life Sciences and is currently pursuing his Ph.D. in Biosoftware and Genetic Engineering. He comes from Assam and is passionate about Dire Straits, soccer, tennis and wildlife conservation. He is working on dedicating his life to the people of North East and if you are passionate about North East of India he is just a beer away.
Ranjith
Senior Associate, Customer Engagement
Ranjith is responsible for ensuring the smooth running of projects at pepper square. He sees to it that deliveries and deadlines are met and the process moves like a well-oiled machine. Young and vibrant, Ranjith is an avid learner and adds zing at pepper square. He continuously pushes all the teams to streamline and coordinate so that deadlines are met.
Ranjith understands web technology and the digital marketing sphere owing to his experience in SEO and SMO practices. It has given him an insight into the entire web development process right from initiation through implementation and client satisfaction. Still at the initial stages of his career, he seeks opportunities and is forever eager to learn from mentors as well as peers.
An Engineering graduate from BIT, Bangalore, Ranjith hails from Hiriyur, a town located near Chitradurga in Karnataka. He has a passion for adventure and road trips; he does not have a girlfriend, he has a Royal Enfield.
Senior Associate, Customer Engagement
Ranjith is responsible for ensuring the smooth running of projects at pepper square. He sees to it that deliveries and deadlines are met and the process moves like a well-oiled machine. Young and vibrant, Ranjith is an avid learner and adds zing at pepper square. He continuously pushes all the teams to streamline and coordinate so that deadlines are met.
Ranjith understands web technology and the digital marketing sphere owing to his experience in SEO and SMO practices. It has given him an insight into the entire web development process right from initiation through implementation and client satisfaction. Still at the initial stages of his career, he seeks opportunities and is forever eager to learn from mentors as well as peers.
An Engineering graduate from BIT, Bangalore, Ranjith hails from Hiriyur, a town located near Chitradurga in Karnataka. He has a passion for adventure and road trips; he does not have a girlfriend, he has a Royal Enfield.