Karthik Balakrishnan

Questioner
DISC Type : c

Associate Vice President - Hi-Tech & ISV Sales at Persistent Systems

Los Angeles, California, United States

Overview

Karthik Balakrishnan is an Associate Vice President at Persistent Systems, leading Hi-Tech and ISV sales. With over 19 years of experience, he is a P&L leader specializing in strategic account management, M&A integrations, and building CxO-level partnerships. He holds an MBA from IIT-Delhi and is a Zscaler Certified Sales Professional.

Karthik shows a strong passion for the future of technology, particularly in areas like cognitive AI and smart mobility. His interests include the evolution of connected experiences, from voice assistants in electric vehicles to intelligent systems in smart buildings, reflecting a deep curiosity for innovation beyond his professional role.

Unique fact: Karthik was hand-picked from IIT-Delhi to join HCLs elite, fast-track leadership program during his formative years.

Personality Overview

Cautious & Analytical

Price-Sensitive

Not Easily Convinced

They generally do not appreciate an overfriendly approach and prefer to stay to-the-point.  They are more likely than others to negotiate on pricing and terms. While they don't hesitate to ask questions, they are generally risk-averse and tend to be late adopters.

Topics They Care About

ISV Transformation
He focuses on helping Independent Software Vendors (ISVs) accelerate time-to-market and achieve seamless interoperability through custom connectors and plug-ins.
Cognitive Voice AI
Stemming from his work at Cerence, he is interested in next-gen, intuitive voice AI for the automotive, EV, and smart mobility markets.
Cloud Partnerships
He actively promotes his company's cloud capabilities, highlighting achievements like becoming an AWS Premier Tier Services Partner to drive digital transformation for clients.

Media Appearances

Karthik has no verified media appearances

Work History

9-2022
Associate Vice President - Hi-Tech & ISV Sales at Persistent Systems
10-2021 - 9-2022
Director - Sales at Cerence Inc.
5-2018 - 10-2021
Senior Client Partner - HARMAN International, A SAMSUNG Company at HARMAN International
2-2014 - 5-2018
Senior Client Partner- HARMAN International ( Symphony Teleca acquired by HARMAN) at HARMAN International
1-2013 - 1-2014
Senior Account Manager at HCL Technologies

Education

2004 - 2006
Master of Business Administration - MBA from Indian Institute of Technology, Delhi
2000 - 2004
Bachelor's Degree in Engineering from Amrita Vishwa Vidyapeetham

More Information

Social Presence :

Prographics :

Exp : 19 Location : Los Angeles, California, United States Job Level : Senior Designation : Associate Vice President - Hi-Tech & ISV Sales at Persistent Systems
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Insights For Selling To Karthik

During A Call Or A Meeting

DO's

  • Emphasize on objective proof of ROI, help them do a thorough evaluation
  • Keep some extra margin in hand as they will likely negotiate the pricing
  • Share as much information as possible regarding your product

DONT's

  • Don’t overhype the product/pitch, keep it measured
  • Don’t try to be too friendly or informal with them
  • Avoid phrases like ‘do not worry about’, ‘no one compares to’ etc.

When Cold Calling

When Writing An Email

While Negotiating & Closing

    The secret to closing fast with Karthik is

  • Confidence that the product provides ROI, effective pricing and process adherence matter the most to them.

  • Will you ever get a clear answer from Karthik

  • It doesn’t come naturally to them but they can say no if they are not convinced.

Insights For Deal Planning

    How fast (or slow) will Karthik move?

  • They can move at a reasonable pace while making their decisions if they have the necessary information.

  • Can Karthik take some risk or not?

  • They can take risk if they are convinced that they have analyzed the circumstances well.


You And Karthik

Personality Compatibility


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