Ajay Kelkar

Ajay Kelkar's picture

Ajay is an entrepreneurial business leader and seasoned leadership coach with over 30 years of experience across major corporations and innovative start-ups. His approach to coaching draws on his CXO roles at leading organizations like HDFC Bank—India’s largest private sector bank with a market capitalization of $151.21 billion —and Shoppers Stop, among India’s largest department store chains, as well as his journey as a co-founder of Hansa Cequity, a pioneering digital analytics firm. This combination of executive insight and entrepreneurial agility enables Ajay to deliver high-impact coaching to senior leaders seeking growth and transformative business insights.

Ajay uniquely balances his deep CXO experience with a mindful, client-centered approach to coaching. This balance allows him to create a space where clients’ strengths and internal resources come forward, enabling them to build resilience, adaptability, and confidence. He intuitively shifts from strategic insight to active listening, helping leaders uncover their unique potential to navigate complex challenges. Ajay’s expertise in nonviolent communication, behavioral science, and Appreciative Inquiry further enriches his coaching style, blending executive wisdom with a present-focused coaching presence.

As a Partner at Reflexion, a consulting firm focused on developing behavioral-based leadership skills, Ajay brings hands-on, practical knowledge to enhance senior leadership capabilities. His approach inspires executives to adopt new perspectives, embrace continuous improvement, and cultivate the pattern recognition skills essential for success in today’s dynamic business landscape.

Ajay’s extensive experience, which includes:

At HDFC Bank: As Chief Marketing Officer, led a transformational analytics initiative, increasing cross-sell penetration by over 30% and establishing an analytics-driven culture.

At Shoppers Stop: As Chief Marketing Officer, expanded the company’s footprint from three to 25 stores, setting a scalable growth model.

At Hansa Cequity: Co-founded and scaled an analytics firm to over 800 employees with multimillion-dollar revenue.

Ajay also has served on the Innovation & Artificial Intelligence Advisory Board at Wiley and is an associate Board member at the International Mentoring Association (IMA). He is an ICF-accredited Professional Certified Coach (PCC) with Hogan and Lumina SPARK assessment certifications.

In his social impact work, Ajay has served as a Trustee of Antarang Foundation, an NGO bridging the gap between education and employability by providing career guidance, skill development, and placement support to underserved youth in India. Antarang has impacted over 100,000 young people, creating pathways to meaningful employment. Additionally, Ajay coaches senior leaders at Acumen Foundation, a global nonprofit that invests in sustainable solutions for tackling poverty and creating social change. With Acumen’s mission to support businesses that drive positive change, Ajay’s coaching focuses on building leadership capabilities that address complex social challenges and enable leaders to make a sustainable impact.

 

A passionate Himalayan trekker and marathon runner, Ajay draws parallels between resilience in the outdoors and effective leadership. He shares insights on personal growth, leadership, and learning as a TEDx speaker.

Connect with Ajay:

• Linked in: www.linkedin.com/in/ajaykelkarleadershipcoach

Twitter: @ajaykelkar

Blog: https://customeriq.substack.com/