Award-winning IT leader in Agile Transformation & Delivery Excellence
An award-winning IT leader, Samant Kumar has over 2 decades of experience in Agile Portfolio/Program/Project Management and Software Solution Delivery across diverse domains. In addition, multi-faceted Samant is also a much sought after Keynote Speaker, Author, Judge, Mentor, and Researcher.
Born in India, Samant’s educational background includes a postgraduate degree in Finance and Marketing, complementing his Bachelor of Technology credentials. He also has a ‘Connected Manager’ Certificate from Harvard ManageMentor. His professional journey is marked by a rich repertoire of certifications including SAFe Certified Practice Consultant (SPC), ICP-ACC, A-CSM, CSM, SMC, CSPO, solidifying his reputation as an agile champion. In the past, he has also done certification on Datawarehousing ETL tools like Informatica, Datastage, etc.
“The factors that drive my passion are – Desire to make a Positive Impact; Continuous Learning and Growth; Empowering Others; Innovation and Problem-Solving; The Joy of Collaboration; and Personal Fulfillment. These elements not only fuel my enthusiasm but also guide my approach to work and life.”
Here are some key things that Samant implements:
As a Portfolio manager he aligns projects with strategic goals by prioritizing based on value rather than traditional metrics. He integrates continuous feedback and iteration, with teams empowered through decentralized decision-making. He drives Implementation of Lean Portfolio Management (LPM), a key component of the Scaled Agile Framework (SAFe), focuses on reducing waste and driving continuous improvement. Also Agile project management activities like PI/sprint planning, daily stand-ups, and retrospectives ensure effective execution. Transparency and visualization are enhanced by tools such as Kanban boards, JIRA, Azure DevOps (ADO), MIRO, and MURAL, providing real-time insights and facilitating informed decision-making.
Actively engaged in the Agile community, Samant is a distinguished speaker at Agile/PM conferences, symposiums, and local PMI chapters. He is affiliated with esteemed professional associations including IEEE, Project Management Institute (PMI), PMI Chapter-Houston, Dallas, Austin, American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS), The Association for the Advancement of Artifical Intelligence (AAAI), Asian Society of Indian Engineers (ASIE), International Association of Engineers, Scrum Alliance, Agile Alliance, Scrum.org, and Keep Austin Agile (KAA). He is also holding SAS Eminent Fellow Membership (SEFM) and IETE fellow membership.
Following are some of his professional laurels:
● Globee Award 2024 for Technology
● Client Agile Champion award
● Multitude of awards at Capgemini and IBM
● Judge for Globee award, Stevie award in Multiple categories, Texas Science and Engineering Fair (TXSEF), and Science Exhibition of Houston (SEFH), 2024 QS Reimagine Education award
● Author – Book Chapter published in ‘A Practical Guide to Agile Project Management at IGI Global, articles at Dzone and Medium’
● Elsevier certified Peer reviewer and Approved Reviewer – International Journal of Information Technology Project Management
● Research Participant in Agile 2024
● HACKATHON JUDGE at Rice University, Texas
● Super mentor at adplist.org
● Mentor in a program MEN WHO MENTOR at Katy ISD School District
● Speaker at UT Dallas Project Management Symposium, PMI Houston 50th Conference and Expo, NorthEastern University Global Symposium on Leadership and Project Management, Agile 2024 conference and multiple PMI Houston and Katy chapters.
Beyond his professional commitments, Samant resides in Katy, Texas, with his wife and two children, finding joy in reading, cooking, meditation, and mentoring on spirituality.
Here are some of his key challenges Samant faced – Navigating Uncertainty; Resource Constraints; Scaling Operations; Staying Innovative; Talent Acquisition and Retention; Balancing Short-Term and Long-Term Goals; and Maintaining Work-Life Balance.
Samant quotes timeless management wisdom from Bhagavad Gita
BG 2.48
yoga-sthaḥ kuru karmāṇi
saṅgaṁ tyaktvā dhanañ-jaya
siddhy-asiddhyoḥ samo bhūtvā
samatvaṁ yoga ucyate
(Perform your duty equipoised, abandoning all attachment to success or failure. Such equanimity is called yoga.)
“When it comes to the debate between luck and hard work, I believe both play a role, but with a nuanced perspective.
In this regard, Samant quotes following wisdom from Bhagavad Gita:
BG. 6.17
yuktāhāra-vihārasya
yukta-ceṣṭasya karmasu
yukta-svapnāvabodhasya
yogo bhavati duḥkha-hā
(He who is regulated in his habits of eating, sleeping, recreation and work can mitigate all material pains and take better decisions by practicing the yoga system.)
For Samant, leadership is about creating a ripple effect of positive influence, where everyone has the opportunity to lead and make a meaningful impact. “I believe in being a tiger in the rat race. The rat race implies constant, exhausting competition with little sense of fulfillment or purpose. Instead, embrace the journey of continuous learning and growth. Don’t be afraid to take risks, challenge the status quo, and pursue your passions with determination. Surround yourself with people who inspire and support you, and always strive to make a positive impact in whatever you do.”
