Ankur Lal, founder and CEO, Infozech Software Limited, believes that the changes taking place in the telecom sector spell attractive opportunities for his company. “The industry is moving from rapid growth to market maturity. Customers are changing their focus from revenue maximisation to cost optimisation. In this context, we are aiding our clients in identifying costs and improving efficiencies to help them improve their bottom line. We believe that there are several opportunities for innovation and implementation through gaining real-time intelligence,” he says.
Explaining the role Infozech Software plays in the telecom industry, Lal says, “We work with most leading companies and help them collect data, monitor services and improve energy efficiencies. Recently, we started providing services to customers in emerging geographies such as SAARC and Africa. We see this as a significant area of opportunity. The industry is focusing on energy optimisation, not just from a cost perspective but also from the point of view of improving the environment.”
An engineer from IIT Delhi, Lal initially worked with organisations like Citicorp Software and the CBORD Group. Subsequently, he decided to start his own venture, driven by the passion to contribute to a greener environment by implementing effective IT solutions. He founded Infozech Software Limited in 1999 and today, the company is a leading player in real-time energy monitoring and analytics.
Lal says his key strength is identifying new opportunities in challenges and coming up with effective solutions. To encourage entrepreneurship, he takes an active part in events like Emergeout and Product Conclave hosted by the National Association of Software and Services Companies. He is also on the panel of the Centre for Innovation, Incubation and Entrepreneurship at the Indian Institute of Management, Ahmedabad.
Lal takes a keen interest in promoting skill and talent development among young students and has been actively involved in the Gavel Club (a public speaking initiative for young adults) and with the TiE Young Entrepreneurs Global Program.
Lal likes to periodically take time off from work to travel and be with his family. He tries to keep up a rigorous exercise schedule and runs three to four times a week. He also enjoys reading books on business.