Boss Man

K Yegneshwara Iyer, head of Technology at Times Network, talks about newsrooms, technology, and Crossfit workouts

- Anisha Gakhar

From being a software developer to the head of technology at Times Network, K Yegnesh wara Iyer’s voyage has been an enthralling one. His tryst with the world of media was far from a planned move, and more of something he chanced upon. “I ended up in media as I was looking for a job! Having spent close to 10 years as an independent software developer at a time when no one understood software or the need to pay for software, I had made very little progress,” shared Iyer.

He graduated with a BA in Industrial Relations and Personnel Management from Delhi University, in 1989. He considers himself a good team-builder and a proactive problem solver. He step foot into the corporate world as a software developer back in the winter of 1987. “This was when IKEA’s India liaison office wanted an order tracking application developed. That was my first professional assignment and I think I did a decent job of it,” asserted Iyer.

THE ADVENT

Although media wasn’t a conscious choice for Iyer, he has bestowed over two decades upon the industry. Iyer ventured into the media field with New Delhi Television as the CIO. His key responsibilities included managing innovations in IT, and engineering live text and graphics for television in India. He was also the one to architect what is arguably the fastest election counting management in India with a simple, expandable design. He pioneered custom development for broadcast graphics in India with custom controllers and delivery workflows, easing user involvement and reducing errors by encapsulating business logic into applications, along with helping simplify end-user decision-making.

He then started working with Times Network, heading the technology department. Here he predominantly oversees technology strategy and direction, selection and application, upgradation and maintenance, along with operations and uptime.