Sanjeev Verma: Leading Black Box Towards a $2 Billion Future
Black Box, the IT division of Essar Group, is poised for significant growth in its Indian operations. According to CEO Sanjeev Verma, the company anticipates an increase in its revenue contribution from India by 1-2 percentage points as it aims to achieve a remarkable $2 billion in revenue by the fiscal year 2027-28.
Strategic Expansion into India
Specializing in IT infrastructure for essential technology applications such as hyperscale data centers, Black Box is eager to leverage its global expertise within the Indian market. With many international clients expressing interest in investing in India, Verma sees this as an opportune moment for expansion.
Currently, India’s contribution accounts for approximately 6% of Black Box’s overall business. However, Verma emphasizes that reaching $2 billion will necessitate elevating this figure to around 7-8%. The company reported revenues nearing $750 million for FY2024 and aims to enhance its workforce from about 600 employees currently to around 1,000 over the next few years.
Leveraging Global Expertise Locally
Verma highlighted that numerous global clients are now looking towards India. By applying insights gained from working on complex projects with these clients abroad—particularly in Europe and the United States—Black Box intends to deliver substantial value within India.
The strategic importance of India extends beyond being a large local market; it also serves as a critical hub for global expertise and service delivery. To support this vision, Black Box is investing significantly in establishing capability centers across India aimed at serving their international clientele more effectively.
Workforce Growth Plans
The company’s workforce has already expanded from approximately 300 employees to around 600 and is projected to exceed 800 by next fiscal year before reaching the target of about 1,000 within two years. This growth will be complemented by hiring initiatives across various local markets where they operate.
Globally, Black Box operates through a network of 75 delivery centers—21 located in the United States and another 14 situated within India—and boasts a diverse workforce exceeding 4,000 individuals spread across more than thirty-five countries worldwide.
Revamping Market Strategy
As part of their roadmap towards achieving $2 billion revenue status, Verma indicated that one key focus area this year involves revamping their go-to-market strategy. The company plans on concentrating efforts on its top-tier clients—specifically targeting their top 250 customers who represent significant potential due to their size and influence.
By shifting away from geography-based strategies primarily focused on American markets toward vertical-led approaches encompassing sectors like banking, finance, healthcare technology and industrial services; Black Box aims at optimizing client engagement while phasing out less profitable long-tail customers that do not contribute meaningfully towards revenue generation.
Long-Term Vision
Verma expressed confidence regarding this strategic pivot but acknowledged that nurturing these high-potential accounts requires time—a factor they are prepared for as they maintain focus on achieving their ambitious goal of reaching $2 billion by fiscal year-end March 2028.
Pratardan Mishra is a passionate Content Writer and Web Developer with a deep commitment to nationalism and political advocacy. Specializing in national issues, he utilizes expertise in writing to craft compelling narratives that champion patriotic values and engage politically minded audiences.
