Rama Theekshidar on AI, Mindset & Global Growth

Episode notes

A VTEX Live podcast featuring Rama Theekshidar, Chief Digital Officer at U.S. Electrical Services, and one of the most human-centric minds leading digital innovation in the B2B space today. What if innovation wasn’t about building faster, but thinking deeper? In this episode of VTEX Live, Rama Theekshidar joins Santiago for a powerful conversation that goes beyond tech to explore mindset, mission, and the future of work. Born in India, educated in France, and now driving digital transformation in the US, Rama shares how the immigrant experience shaped his perspective and why that global lens is a superpower in business. Rama dives into his approach to product strategy, why he always starts with people instead of platforms, and how he decides when to build, buy, or partner. He breaks down why fill rate is more important than inventory turnover, how to use AI for real customer impact, and why cost-cutting isn’t a strategy, differentiation is. You’ll also hear why Rama sees AI not as a replacement for humans, but as an amplifier for human potential, and how businesses can grow by making their people more productive, not just fewer.