Veteran Leader | Infrastructure & Risk Expert
Purushothaman Ponnenkandy advises IIRIS operations in West Africa, drawing from four decades of leadership in defence, diplomacy, and infrastructure. A former Army officer and UN peacekeeper, he brings deep expertise in telecom, energy systems, civil-military coordination, and high-risk operational environments.
With a background in combat leadership, intelligence, and cross-border negotiations, he has led complex projects across Nigeria and East Africa—expanding business portfolios, stabilising overseas ventures, and steering multimillion-dollar infrastructure rollouts. His tenure includes executive roles at REIME, Eptech, Anchor Telecoms, and Telenoetica.
A twice-decorated officer, he is also a certified counter-insurgency and psychological operations trainer, and has conducted UN-led capacity building across Asia and Africa. He remains a mentor, strategist, and advocate for mission-driven infrastructure and risk solutions.
Academic and Professional Credentials
- B.A. – India
- Senior Command Course – Indian Army
- Certified – Counter Insurgency & Counter Terrorism (CI/CT), Intelligence & Security Ops
- Trainer – United Nations HQ Missions (Cambodia, Liberia, India, Japan, Russia, Ghana, Kenya)
Industry Contributions
- Chief of Army Staff Commendation (2x) | UN Military Observer & Trainer | Mentor – Strategic Infra Projects
- Expert – Cross-border Negotiation, Peacekeeping Training, Asset Security & Turnkey Execution