Power Moves: A new CTO for Wizehive and a Philly Tech Week team departure

Power Moves is a column where we chart the comings and goings of talent across the region. Got a new hire, new gig or promotion? Email us: philly@technical.ly.

Ravindar Gujral is the new CTO at Wizehive, the Conshohocken-based company that specializes in helping clients manage grant application processes, scholarships and fellowships. He started the new position earlier this month after leaving his role as chief data and technology officer at the Center City nonprofit Benefits Data Trust (BDT), which uses data to help people in need access public benefits.

“My time at BDT has been incredibly rewarding, and I have learned a ton from all the amazing team members at BDT and our partners,” Gujral said. “Our contact center staff and engineering team have taught me the power of empathy and compassion and what it means to have dignity at scale for the neediest amongst us.”

The exec oversaw a shift in BDT’s dev processes over his three years there.

Ravindar Gujral. (Courtesy photo)

“When I joined our entire infrastructure was running out of Lotus Notes (yes, Lotus) and today we are a modern containerized sophisticated environment in Google Cloud platform rivaling most cutting-edge startups in the area,” he said. “I have always believed in leaving things in a better place than I found them and I am happy to say that our team effort has brought BDT to a better place.

“The latest example of this team effort and a modern infrastructure: We were seamlessly able to take our contact center virtual within days (due to COVID-19),” he said.

Gujral, a 2019 Technical.ly Awards nominee for CTO of the Year, said Wizehive’s list of clients includes Harvard University, IBM and the Gates Foundation.

Apply for his old job here.

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Anish Kumar was named Pennovation’s first managing director. In the newly created role, Kumar will lead business development of the site, including marketing, communications and leasing. He will also work with Penn Center for Innovation (PCI), PCI Ventures, and the Office of the Vice Provost for Research on company curation and programming. One of his first goals is the completion of the Pennovation Lab Building, a 65,000 square foot multi-tenant lab and office building.

Kumar is a Penn grad with a background in real estate, business management and architecture. He previously served as the senior director of real estate development at Amtrak.

“Pennovation Works adds tremendous value to the two communities that are a significant part of my life, the University of Pennsylvania and the City of Philadelphia, and I am excited for the opportunity to collaborate with members of the Pennovation community to expand the City’s innovation ecosystem and increase Penn’s impact,” Kumar said in a statement.

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Brian Sisko has resigned as the CEO of Radnor-based venture firm Safeguard Scientifics after 14 years with the firm. Sisko took the lead role two years ago following the company’s cost-reduction initiatives that led then-CEO Steve Zarrilli and two other senior execs to step down.

Zarrilli left his role as president and CEO of the University City Science Center last month for health reasons.

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Technically Media’s own Fatima Conteh will be joining Fishtown Analytics as the consultancy’s new events manager. In this role, she will design events strategies and cultivate digital and in-person connections.

As Technically Media’s events manager, Conteh managed the Philly Tech Week community calendar and Generocity initiatives such as the Tech in the Commons workshop series, Tech in Action volunteer day, INTER/VIEW job fair and ADVANCE by Generocity conference. Conteh also managed various team building activities as our culture lead.

“I have so many great memories at Technically Media, but I have to highlight my experience working with the Philly Tech Week event organizers,” she said. “It was an honor to work with such talented teams that are developing resources, products and services for the community. I learned so much from these individuals and hope to continue supporting them.”