Ramanan Hariharan

Ramanan Hariharan is a senior technology leader and sought-after AI speaker, recognised for his deep expertise at the intersection of artificial intelligence, cloud security, and identity and access management. As Principal Engineering Manager for AI Security and Identity and Access Management at Microsoft, he operates at the forefront of enterprise-scale AI adoption, advising organisations on how to design secure, resilient systems that function across complex, multi-cloud environments. Working across AWS, Azure and Google Cloud, Ramanan brings a rare, practitioner-led perspective on how AI security operates in the real world.

Ramanan began his career while studying for a BEng in Computer Science at Vidyalankar Institute of Technology, where he founded Astradge Technologies, gaining early exposure to entrepreneurship and applied engineering. Alongside his studies, he undertook research internships with AGV Systems and KVIC, sharpening his analytical and problem-solving skills. He later joined Infosys as a Systems Engineer before being recruited by Google as a Research Scientist. After completing his MSc in Computer Science at Thomas J. Watson College of Engineering and Applied Science, he joined Deloitte, where he spent nearly a decade progressing from Technology Consultant to Senior Manager of IAM Engineering.

Across these roles, Ramanan consistently ranked as a top performer, graduating Summa Cum Laude in his Masters and leading teams responsible for large-scale, security-critical platforms. At Microsoft, he has spearheaded the design of a unified multi-cloud IAM framework, integrating shared identity layers, real-time AI-driven risk scoring, and automated compliance mapping. Alongside his technical leadership, he is a strong advocate for diversity and inclusion, emphasising empathy, psychological safety, and ethical responsibility within high-performing engineering teams.

As an AI speaker, Ramanan is valued for his ability to translate complex technical concepts into clear, actionable insights for senior leaders, technologists, and policymakers. He speaks with authority on AI security, identity governance, and the operational realities of deploying AI at scale, grounded in hands-on experience rather than theory alone. His recent return to Vidyalankar Institute of Technology as an alumnus speaker reflects his commitment to education and mentorship, offering audiences a candid, experience-led view of AI’s risks, opportunities, and future direction.