Delhi, India, June 2025 – Rakuten Symphony has announced the appointment of Dr. Shuktij Singh Rao as Director – Regulatory and Government Relations, marking a strategic move to further align the company’s innovation engine with evolving regulatory landscapes and public policy. Dr. Rao’s appointment underscores Rakuten Symphony’s commitment to strengthening its regulatory, advocacy, and government affairs capabilities as it accelerates global expansion in telecom and digital transformation.
Dr. Rao brings over two decades of multifaceted leadership experience spanning the defense, telecom, digital transformation, and public policy domains. Prior to joining Rakuten Symphony, he served as Executive Director at the Confederation of Indian Industry (CII) and headed the Centre for Digital Transformation, where he played a pivotal role in shaping national strategies for India’s digital governance and emerging technology sectors. His work has been instrumental in advancing frameworks for digital innovation, data privacy, and technology-enabled governance at a national scale.
In addition to his work at CII, Dr. Rao is an active member of international policy bodies, serving on the B20 South Africa’s Global Taskforce on Digital Transformation and the ASSOCHAM CIO Taskforce. His broad network and engagement in these influential groups have positioned him at the forefront of international dialogues on digital transformation, policy advocacy, and best practices for public-private collaboration in the technology sector.
Dr. Rao’s earlier career is equally distinguished, with senior leadership roles at Tata Advanced Systems Limited, Bharti Infratel Limited, ZTE Corporation, Nokia, and the Indian Air Force. At Tata Advanced Systems, he led infrastructure, defense, railways, and power businesses, driving strategy, policy, and business transformation. His stints as COO/SVP at ZTE, Head of Managed Services at Nokia, and Chief Operations Officer at Bharti Infratel highlight his hands-on experience managing large-scale operations, cross-sector partnerships, and regulatory compliance in both Indian and global contexts. Dr. Rao began his career as a Flight Lieutenant in the Indian Air Force, providing a strong foundation in disciplined leadership and operational excellence.
Dr. Rao’s breadth of experience and expertise in crafting impactful policy frameworks, building strategic government engagements, and leading multi-stakeholder transformation initiatives make him a valuable addition to Rakuten Symphony. His appointment is expected to play a pivotal role in guiding the company’s public affairs, regulatory, and government relations agenda, as Rakuten Symphony continues to disrupt telecom norms and pioneer open interface, cloud-native mobile solutions on a global scale.
About Rakuten Symphony:
Rakuten Symphony is reimagining telecom by changing supply chain norms and disrupting outmoded thinking that hinders the industry’s pursuit of rapid innovation and growth. Leveraging modern infrastructure practices and open interface platforms, Rakuten Symphony enables the rapid launch and operation of advanced mobile services worldwide. The company operates in Japan, the United States, Singapore, India, South Korea, Europe, and the Middle East Africa region, building on the technology that launched Japan’s newest mobile network and expanding its global presence.
By providing an innovative cloud-native telco platform, Rakuten Symphony is committed to attracting and developing top talent from across the globe, driving the next generation of telecom transformation.
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