An accomplished technology executive, Abnesh Raina brings a forward-thinking vision, strategic acumen, and proven leadership that drive organizational transformation, foster innovation, and deliver sustainable competitive advantages in evolving markets.
Whether orchestrating digital overhauls that reposition companies, building emerging technology solutions from the ground up, or turning around complex global operations, Abnesh helps startups, Fortune 100s, and industry-leading companies grow, scale, and thrive in global markets.
A dedicated software engineer and technical consultant with IBM and Williams-Sonoma early in his career, Abnesh evolved into a senior leader by working closely with Fortune 500 executive teams and divisional leaders to understand the business strategies underlying solutions he was building. With a talent for translating complex technology into business terms, aligning IT with business goals, bridging gaps between technology and business professionals, and communicating his vision, Abnesh quickly ascended to senior IT leadership roles at Restoration Hardware, and B/E Aerospace by delivering exceptional shareholder value and return on IT investment.
His accomplishments with high-impact ROI are many.
At IBM, Abnesh built and implemented early robotics solutions that pioneered cost-effective direct-to-consumer fulfillment. With Williams-Sonoma, he blazed a trail in supply chain automation and consumer fulfillment that helped the company achieve its multibillion-dollar growth target. As Senior Vice President and CIO at Restoration Hardware, Abnesh delivered on an enterprise-level digital transformation in 20 months, helped create a $1B eCommerce unit and earned a coveted CIO 100 Award for driving digital business growth through technology innovation.
As Global CIO for B/E Aerospace’s Consumables Division, he led the integration of multiple acquistions including $1Billion acquisition of Honeywell’s consumables division, and, championed and delivered on a digital overhaul and that positioned the division to be acquired by Boeing, while the remaining business was acquired by Rockwell Collins.
More recently, Abnesh founded, led, and sold a cutting-edge technology company, developing solutions for leading brands like Neiman Marcus, Coach, and Samsonite. His strategic vision continues as Board Chair of a cloud-native digital solutions venture studio, where he mentors several portfolio startup CTO’s to define technology vision & roadmaps, incorporate engineering best practices, and articulate long-term product-market fit for their companies.
Abnesh has a Masters in Public Administration from Harvard Kennedy School with focus on responsible democratization of emerging technologies including generative AI and cybersecurity. He also holds an MBA from Columbia Business School and a Bachelors in Computer Engineering from University of Poona in India.
Abnesh lives in Pleasanton, California, with his wife and two children. Outside of his professional commitments, he enjoys spending quality time with his family and engaging in various outdoor activities.