Varun Modgill
Managing Director
Varun is a cross-border business leader with nearly two decades of experience building and scaling technology and services businesses across the Japan - India corridor. Founder of Zoai Technologies, Eoraa Consulting and Zovamo Ventures, he has advised and operated for Japanese enterprises entering India, and is known for combining Japanese operational discipline with a deep understanding of the Indian market.
At Cognavi India, he leads the company's strategy, growth and governance as a subsidiary of Forum Engineering Inc., one of Japan's largest engineering staffing companies, on whose board he also serves. Under his leadership, Cognavi has built India's largest skills-first engineering recruitment platform, partnering with over 300 universities and thousands of enterprises to make objective, skills-based hiring the standard for engineering talent in India.
Mohit Sareen
Executive Director & Board Member
Mohit is a business and growth leader with close to two decades of experience across automotive, technology, financial services and digital businesses, including senior roles at Royal Enfield, Bajaj Auto, Cactus Communications, HDFC Bank and IndusInd Bank. He holds a PGDM from SCMHRD, Pune, and brings deep experience in building new businesses, scaling revenue and leading digital transformation.
At Cognavi India, he leads business growth, go-to-market strategy, product and digital, and has been central to building the company from the ground up, expanding its university, recruiter and talent ecosystem and establishing Cognavi as India's AI-led recruitment platform.
Noriko Miyamoto
General Manager
Noriko is a bilingual business leader with two decades of experience across Japanese industry, spanning sales operations, global marketing and cross-border programme management. She spent seven years at Rittal Japan and three years at Toyota Motor Corporation, where she managed Lexus global sales planning and international new-model launches, before joining Forum Engineering Inc. in 2018, where she now serves as Deputy General Manager. She is a graduate of Nagoya University.
At Cognavi India, she leads the company's Japan business and the "Work in Japan" programme, connecting Indian engineering graduates with Japanese manufacturers. She represents Cognavi to Japanese industry, government and media, and ensures the platform's delivery meets Japanese enterprise standards.
Aastik Upadhyay
Head of Engineering
Aastik is a technology leader with experience across SaaS, entertainment, consumer tech and EdTech. An IIM alumnus with an MBA and a B.Tech in Computer Science from Delhi University, he combines a strong technical foundation with sharp business judgment.
At Cognavi India, he leads technology and platform architecture, scaling the AI and ML products behind Cognavi's skills-matching engine and leading cross-border engineering collaboration with Forum Engineering in Japan. He is known for taking products from concept to execution with speed and technical integrity.
Bhavna Sethi Dholi
Head of Corporate Affairs
Bhavna is a marketing and strategic leader with over a decade of experience across global organisations and high-growth startups, including EY, Citibank, Yes Bank, Videocon Group, BDX Data Centers and Arthmate. She holds an MBA in Marketing with a background in Psychology, and brings a people-first approach to building culture and brand.
At Cognavi India, she leads Corporate Affairs, spanning Marketing, People & Culture, Compliance and Governance, building the partnerships that bridge academia, industry and global career opportunities, and ensuring the company grows with strong governance and a strong brand.
Gourab Mukherjee
Head of Sales
Gourab is a sales leader with experience spanning engineering, business development and corporate strategy, including roles at Tata Metaliks, K12 Techno Services and WAPCOS. He holds an MBA in Marketing and HR from PISM Bangalore and a B.Tech in Civil Engineering from MAKAUT, bringing analytical rigour to market execution.
At Cognavi India, he leads sales across the enterprise and university segments, driving revenue growth and platform adoption across corporate networks and academic institutions. He is known for pairing technical insight with performance-driven execution.