Indian American finance and technology leader Sai Cherla has been appointed Senior Vice President and Chief Operating Officer at New York Life Insurance, where she will drive enterprise-scale transformation.
Indian American finance and technology leader Sai Cherla has joined New York Life Insurance Company as Senior Vice President and Chief Operating Officer, overseeing Technology, Data, AI, and Ventures.
In her new role, Cherla, a graduate of the National Institute of Information Technology in India, will lead enterprise-scale transformation initiatives across various functions. Her mandate focuses on enhancing speed, accountability, and business outcomes within the company’s technology and innovation sectors, as announced by the company.
Cherla’s responsibilities will include managing portfolio operations, vendor governance, and workforce strategy. She aims to build high-performance teams, modernize delivery practices, and align talent, data, and platforms to foster sustainable growth and operational excellence.
“From my very first conversations, what stood out wasn’t just the scale and ambition of the work, but the people,” Cherla shared on LinkedIn. “New York Life truly operates as a family – grounded in purpose, mutual respect, and long-term commitment to doing what’s right for policyholders, our colleagues, and the communities we serve.”
Before her appointment at New York Life, Cherla amassed extensive transformation and operational leadership experience in financial services and technology sectors. She spent over six years at BMO Financial Group, where she held several senior leadership positions, including Chief Administration Officer for Technology and Operations, and Vice President and Head of the Transformation Management Office and Supplier Governance.
During her tenure at BMO, Cherla supported the Technology and Operations transformation agenda, strengthened supplier governance, and established efficient operating models aimed at improving productivity and execution discipline. She also served as Vice President and Head of the Project Management Office for Workforce Transformation, showcasing her expertise in enterprise operating rhythm, governance, and workforce enablement.
In addition to her corporate roles, Cherla has been actively involved in leadership beyond her primary responsibilities. She served on the Board of Directors at BMO Trust Co. for over five years and was a Board Member at the Toronto Region Immigrant Employment Council (TRIEC) for a similar duration.
Earlier in her career, Cherla held the position of Vice President at the Corporate Program Management Office at International Financial Data Services (IFDS), where she led enterprise-wide project management initiatives and established standardized portfolio delivery and release management practices. She also spent over six years at Sun Life, where she held senior roles, including Assistant Vice President of the Enterprise Portfolio and Project Management Office, overseeing IT governance and KPI definition and tracking.
Cherla’s extensive experience also includes roles such as Assistant Vice President of E-Business Solutions, where she managed global e-business project portfolios and cross-organization delivery alignment. Additionally, she served as Director of Special Projects and Business Analysis, as well as Director of E-Business, leading major portfolios and large-scale delivery programs.
She began her professional journey in technology delivery and program management, holding positions such as Program Manager at CGI, Project Manager at Amdocs, Production Manager at Sigma Systems, and Technical Head at NIIT Limited, where she managed one of NIIT’s largest technical education centers.
Outside of her corporate leadership, Cherla is active in the technology ecosystem as a Limited Partner at The Firehood, an organization dedicated to advancing women in technology. She is also the CEO and Founder of The Firehood: Women in Tech Network, a consultancy focused on advisory and executive assignments across banks, startups, and consulting firms in areas such as technology transformation and organizational strategy.
Cherla holds an Executive MBA from the University of Toronto’s Rotman School of Management. She also completed a Post Graduate Program in Computer Science and Systems Management at the National Institute of Information Technology in India and earned a BA in Public Administration from Osmania University in Hyderabad, along with a Pharmacy Program at Delhi University.
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