Bhatt Joins Firm as President and Chief Growth Officer to Advance Firm’s Cloud Modernization Services, Inclusive Business Model
SDI Presence LLC (SDI), an IT consultancy and managed services provider (MSP) announces that local and state government cloud executive Hardik Bhatt has joined SDI as its President and Chief Growth Officer.
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“With more than 20 years in government technology and a proven track record of catalyzing growth, Hardik is a terrific addition to the SDI leadership team, and we are thrilled to have him join,” states SDI Chief Executive Officer David Gupta. “Hardik has the vision and proven experience to achieve our strategic growth objectives through transformational technology solutioning and strategic partnerships. Hardik also brings sophisticated technology insights that will benefit our clients as they innovate their organization’s technology environments.”
Bhatt most recently led AWS’ public sector startups business, launching startup accelerators and incubators globally. Previously, he built and ran AWS’ Digital Government and Transportation verticals for State and Local Government business. Bhatt led strategic sales, partnerships, and customer solution envisioning using AWS’ cloud-based business models, supported by proven delivery methodologies. Prior to AWS, Bhatt was the State CIO for the State of Illinois where he built the State’s first $1.2 billion centralized IT organization, the Department of Innovation & Technology. As Secretary of the new department, Bhatt and his team built the State’s first Data Analytics practice, created the State’s first comprehensive cybersecurity strategy, and championed its first successful ERP implementation. Under Bhatt’s leadership, Illinois leapfrogged from 4th from the bottom to 3rd in nationwide state technology rankings.
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Prior to the State of Illinois, Bhatt was a Senior Director at Cisco, leading global business development for its Smart Cities and Internet of Everything (IoE) business. Bhatt worked with city, state and national governments across 19 different countries in his 5 years at Cisco. And before his tenure at Cisco. Bhatt served as City of Chicago CIO and Commissioner of DoIT, where he leveraged technology to improve citizen services. Bhatt managed the City’s IT Infrastructure Support contract, deployed cutting-edge mobile apps and initiated the City’s Open Data Platform. Prior to being the CIO, Bhatt worked at the Chicago Office of Emergency Management and Communications and the Chicago Police Department, where he led the development of CPD’s $40M online records/analytics solution.
“I am thrilled to be part of such a strong employee culture and dynamic momentum that is evident at SDI,” states Bhatt. “I look forward to drawing from the last two decades of my previous work experiences, and working with our clients to modernize their IT environments and demonstrate true business value.”
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Bhatt is an active industry speaker, and is intricately engaged in Chicago’s civic fabric. He is a Board Director and chairs the cybersecurity committee for Fermilabs, the country’s leading Deep Physics research lab driving the multi-billion dollar International Long-Baseline Neutrino Facility/Deep Underground Neutrino Experiment. Bhatt also serves as Chicago Innovation Awards Board Member and Judge, and is a member of angel investment partnership Hyde Park Angels, the Economic Club of Chicago and the Commercial Club of Chicago. Bhatt lives in Chicago’s Edgebrook neighborhood with his wife who is an Early Childhood Special Education Teacher with Chicago Public School; his two children are products of CPS as well.
SDI recently expanded its IT infrastructure modernization programs with hybrid and multicloud solutions including cloud readiness assessments and management/optimization services, in addition to its hallmark IT managed services and consulting practices. Building out its customer-centric managed services platform, the firm recently opened an 11,000 sqft IT Innovation Hub on Chicago’s Southside, which includes a state-of-the art IT Service Desk operated in tandem with its MBE partner network. Actively incorporating diversity throughout its operations since its inception, SDI spent over $24M with its minority, women and veteran-owned business partners in 2020. Earlier this month, SDI announced that the firm secured an infusion of private equity capital with Abry Partners, a Boston, Massachusetts-based private equity firm, to fund its growth.
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