Sasikumar Balachandran
BI Architect with 19+ years of experience in data warehousing, analytics, and visualization
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About
BI Architect with 19+ years of experience in data warehousing, analytics, and visualization. Specialized in Microsoft Fabric, Power BI, Copilot integration, and AI-driven data models. Skilled in Data Lake integration, KPI frameworks, self‑service BI enablement, and storytelling dashboards.
Proven record of architecting enterprise BI solutions, embedding advanced security, and leading cross-functional teams across multiple projects. Strong communicator bridging business and technology to deliver scalable, high-performance analytics platforms with measurable cost savings.
Experience
BI Architect & COE Lead - Cognizant Technology Solutions - Chennai, India
(2021-01)
- Designed and implemented end-to-end BI strategy using Microsoft Fabric and Power BI, aligning it to the enterprise data vision.
- Integrated Copilot into BI workflows, enabling natural language-driven insights, automated report generation, and accelerating decision-making for 3+ business units.
- Built AI-prep data models for predictive analytics, machine learning readiness, and automated reporting pipelines.
- Developed and optimized paginated reports for handling 1Million records related to power bi charge back program.
- Architected secure, scalable solutions with row-level security (RLS), governance frameworks, and achieving 100% audit compliances.
- Collaborated with cross-functional teams (finance, operations, IT, and data engineering) to translate business requirements into 10+ actionable dashboards and enterprise data models.
- Involved in RFP processes, providing BI solution design, cost optimization strategies, and technical proposals to win new projects.
- Directed BI teams across three major streams simultaneously, ensuring delivery excellence, stakeholder satisfaction, and measurable business outcomes.
Enterprise Finance Track Lead - Cognizant Technology Solutions - India
(2015-01 - 2021-12)
- Directed analytics across 25+ enterprise applications, leading a 15‑member team in data integration and reporting. Delivered 10+ dashboards for commercial sales — improving pipeline visibility, territory performance tracking, and revenue forecasting accuracy by 20%.
- Oversaw Cognos reporting teams, managing 100+ monthly reports with 99.9% uptime, guaranteeing seamless incident management and service delivery.
- Maintained 100% audit readiness and SDLC compliance across validated systems, safeguarding regulatory adherence.
Cognos Developer & Onshore Lead - Cognizant Technology Solutions - India & USA
(2007-01 - 2015-12)
- Designed Cognos reports, ETL mappings, and optimized data warehouse performance.
- Delivered reporting solutions for finance, healthcare domains.
- Worked with legacy systems to understand data structures and collaborated with clients to gather and analyse business requirements.
- Conducted 20+ training sessions for business users, driving adoption and boosting BI tool usage by 40%.
- Spearheaded Cognos Report Archival initiative, reducing 90% of manual effort and delivering significant cost savings.
- Migrated 50+ legacy Cognos reports to Cognos Analytics (v11) with detailed migration planning.
- Developed complex dashboards with real-time streaming, APIs, and custom visuals.
- Coordinated offshore/onsite teams and mentored 10+ junior developers, enhancing delivery efficiency and team capability.
Education
B.E - Instrumentation Engineering - Anna University (2006-01)
