As enterprises grow more digital and interconnected, it takes industry professionals with powerful drive and motivation to find the solutions that meet the needs of growing organizations.
Saranya Balaguru is one such professional who saw the opportunities presented by automation technology. Inspired by how technology can improve businesses, she pursued a career that has taken her across multiple industries, developing expertise in robotic process automation (RPA), AI, and GenAI. She architected technological solutions that benefited society during the COVID-19 pandemic, and her significant contributions to her fields have earned her acclaim and recognition as a great leader.
Balaguru cultivates a culture of continuous learning, creative thinking, and the exploration of developing innovations. Through her work, she showcases how technology can solve today’s real-world business challenges.
Saranya Balaguru’s Early Career Journey
Balaguru began her journey in business tech with a position as a system applications and product analyst in business intelligence and business warehouse at NTT Data — a specialty known as SAP BI/BW. During her three years there, she developed a robust foundation in business intelligence and data management.
Motivated by a growing passion for technology and innovation, Balaguru decided to pursue a master’s degree in computer science from Anna University in Chennai.
Balaguru considered the time she spent as a SAP BI/BW analyst when considering her next career move. This work made her realize that, while data management is crucial to sound decision-making, the true potential for organizational change lies in automating repetitive tasks. Motivated by a desire to develop strategic, high-value initiatives that would tap into the efficiency of automation, she made a career pivot to robotic process automation (RPA).
The Real-World Applications of RPA
In pursuit of a career in RPA, Balaguru underwent specialized training at Wonderbots, an intelligent automation company. She swiftly advanced into a role as an RPA analyst and mentor before earning the position of solutions architect, where she designed and delivered impactful automation solutions across diverse industries.
One of the most notable automation efforts that Balaguru contributed to was in the health care sector. During the COVID-19 pandemic, health care organizations accrued large backlogs of claims involving the virus. She and her team collaborated with health care stakeholders to reduce administrative burdens and improve patient care outcomes, allowing for 2.1 million COVID-19 claims to be processed through intelligent automation.
Driving Business Automation
Today, Balaguru is the manager of product and technology solutions at a major nonprofit health care organization in the United States, where she utilizes her expertise in streamlining workflows to reduce manual hours and operational costs. By developing scalable automation solutions, she has enabled this organization and others to achieve unprecedented productivity gains and improvements in operational efficiency.
How Automation and AI Can Transform Business Operations
Balaguru’s vision is to combine RPA with AI and machine learning to create intelligent, adaptive systems that take automation to the next level: “My goal is to integrate the latest advancements in generative AI into business processes, particularly within health care, enabling organizations to unlock new levels of automation and efficiency.”
She has also spearheaded the development of scalable, future-proof automation strategies that align with long-term organizational goals. While many businesses have adopted automation projects, they often remain niche and isolated from the rest of their operations. Through her architecture of comprehensive automation frameworks, she has assisted these companies in the transition to enterprise-wide digital solutions that will empower every aspect of their operations.
Recognition for Contributions and Leadership
Balaguru has received several prestigious awards in recognition of her position as a leading figure in the automation space, including the Global Tech Award in 2024 and the Titan Innovation Award in 2024, as well as the finalist for the Women in Tech Global Awards in 2024.
Her position as a thought leader has been solidified through speaking at key industry events and participating in panels to discuss the future of RPA and AI-driven solutions. These platforms have allowed her to share her insights and engage in meaningful dialogue on the evolving role of automation in the future of work and business.
Balaguru has made further contributions to the field of automation through the publication of scholarly articles, such as “The Journey from RPA to APA: Embracing Agentic Process Automation” and “Beyond Automation: Redefining Healthcare Revenue Cycles through RPA, NLP and Gen AI.” These articles have influenced the industry’s thinking on how automation will be implemented in the future.
Inspiring the Next Generation of Tech Leaders
Finding impactful uses for technology is a goal that is bigger than herself, so Balaguru has made it her priority to inspire other industry professionals through impactful mentorship, strategic leadership, and industry-wide engagement. She is particularly dedicated to promoting the role of women in tech. By cultivating a culture of continuous learning, she encourages her team members to challenge the status quo and embrace new technological solutions.
She has also served as a mentor to many in her field and is active in organizations such as Women in Tech Global, Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE), and Institution of Engineering and Technology (IET): “Through sharing my knowledge and experience, I hope to inspire others to take bold steps in adopting advanced automation solutions that can truly transform industries, especially in health care.”
A Vision for the Future of Business Automation
The future of tech in business is bright, and Balaguru’s goal is to keep pushing for advancements in intelligent automation. She hopes to continue driving innovation at the intersection of RPA, AI, and machine learning and empower organizations to operate with greater adaptability and efficiency, particularly in the healthcare industry, where she believes automation can improve patient outcomes.
Equally important to Balaguru is her continued commitment to mentoring the next generation of automation professionals. She plans to stay abreast of developing technologies and remain involved in industry discussions, contributing to thought leadership, speaking engagements, and collaborating with other dedicated professionals. Amid all her ambitions, one of her highest aspirations is to develop hyper-automation strategies that go beyond how things are done today.
Saranya Balaguru’s work continues to serve as a demonstration of how new technologies can enable sustainable growth for businesses, preparing them for a tech-driven future.
BDG Media newsroom and editorial staff were not involved in the creation of this content.
