Venu Raghavan

Venu Raghavan is the CEO and founder of Encora, a leading digital engineering services company headquartered in Scottsdale. Raghavan founded Encora in 2005 and envisioned a company that would deliver such outstanding service to clients that they would repeatedly return for an encore performance. This vision was what gave Encora its name, and since then, Raghavan has spent the last two decades pursuing this goal.

Today, Encora serves more than 300 U.S.-based clients, most of whom have established long-lasting strategic relationships with the company. At present, the average client service partnership is 5.4 years, and it increases with each passing year.

“At the early stages of our company, convincing individuals, leaders and clients to believe in our vision was challenging. We needed to deliver financial visibility and close deals with clients to gain momentum,” Raghavan said.

“Fortunately, we attracted exceptional partners and leading financial sponsors who believed in Encora’s potential. It enabled us to hire remarkable leaders who shared our vision and were dedicated to driving the company forward. Moreover, our clients, who took a leap of faith in signing with us, played a crucial role in our early success.

“The result of the risks we took early on led to the exceptional growth for Encora. Ultimately, the sacrifices made during those early years benefited everyone involved, from our stakeholders to every dedicated member of the Encora team. The strong belief in our vision instilled trust in our partners, clients and Encorians, paving the way for the success we’ve achieved."

With over 9,000 associates in more than 40 offices and innovation labs across the globe, Encora's global talent pool and micro-industry vertical expertise enable clients to improve their efficiency, the company said. Encora specializes in next-gen services such as Predictive Analysis, Machine Learning, Artificial Intelligence, IoT, Cloud and Test Automation, serving industries that include HealthTech, FinTech & InsurTech, HiTech, IAM & Cybersecurity, Digital Commerce, EdTech, Supply Chain & Logistics, Telecom and more.

Encora aims to strengthen its foothold in the digital engineering market and expand its global reach through strategic acquisitions and organic growth. The company plans to go public in 2024, further establishing its position in the technology industry with more than $1 billion in revenue.

Raghavan was awarded the Ernst & Young Entrepreneur of the Year Award in 2008 and the CEO of the Year Award by the Phoenix Business Journal in 2018. He has also been recognized for his commitment to company culture, winning Comparably awards for Best CEO, Best CEOs for Women, and Best CEOs for Diversity. With a high employee approval rating and positive reviews on platforms like Glassdoor, Raghavan’s leadership and Encora's success are widely acknowledged.