Granicus names Karthik Anbalagan to lead public sector AI push

Granicus has appointed Karthik Anbalagan as General Manager of Emerging Technologies, with a remit to drive the company's approach to digital government and civic engagement solutions in Australia and New Zealand.

Anbalagan's new role is focused on leading Granicus' strategic innovation initiatives. This includes leveraging generative and agentic artificial intelligence, as well as analytics, to advance citizen engagement and enhance government service experiences.

Strategic focus

As General Manager of Emerging Technologies, Anbalagan will oversee the company's strategy to develop scalable AI Agent solutions, which are tailored for the public sector's distinct needs. His responsibilities also extend to guiding innovation across Granicus' emerging product portfolio. This portfolio includes CRM/CDP platforms, constituent analytics, and agentic technologies such as the recently launched Government Experience Insights (GXI) and Government Experience Agent (GXA).

Anbalagan will also be tasked with managing the adoption and integration of GXI and GXA as governments progress toward automating constituent support and services, in line with their evolving AI strategies.

Mark Hynes, Chief Executive Officer of Granicus, highlighted the relevance of the appointment for the company's mission.

"Karthik's appointment marks a significant step forward in our commitment to help governments harness the power of a rapidly developing landscape of emerging technologies. His deep expertise in AI and proven ability to develop innovative-driven businesses shaped by customer partnerships will accelerate our efforts to support public sector leaders as they look to leverage emerging tech to substantially improve their ability to measure and deliver meaningful outcomes to the communities they serve."

Extensive experience

Anbalagan brings over two decades of experience in product, technology, and business leadership roles from organisations including Microsoft, Amazon, and Chewy. His previous work includes advising companies on AI strategy, product development, and business transformation. At Chewy, he led customer experience strategy and new business launches, while at Amazon, he managed global innovation and personalised commerce programmes in sectors such as digital content, retail, and fashion technology.

On joining Granicus, Anbalagan stated,

"I'm thrilled to join Granicus at such a pivotal moment. Governments around the world are demonstrating a strong interest in embracing AI in ways that truly improve efficiency and deliver better services at scale. Building deeper and more meaningful connections between governments, public servants, and citizens is both a tremendous opportunity and a noble cause. Granicus has the platform, the vision, and the customer trust to lead this transformation - and I'm excited to help make it happen."

Public sector focus

Anbalagan's appointment reflects Granicus' efforts to advance its AI-driven solutions for public sector organisations. The company aims to assist government bodies in adopting technologies that support automation and enhance their engagements with communities.

This move comes as governments globally show increasing interest in adopting AI to improve service delivery to citizens and streamline administrative processes. Granicus' suite of products, including GXI and GXA, is designed to address specific public sector requirements for digital engagement and operational efficiency.

The company's operations now include the ANZ region, with Anbalagan responsible for supporting local governments as they consider how new technologies can assist in their transformation strategies. The focus is on creating digital solutions that enable more efficient constituent interactions and help measure the impact on communities.

According to the company, Anbalagan will play a key role in shaping civic technology through leadership in AI and analytics, supporting government initiatives to connect more effectively with constituents.

The appointment expands Granicus's capacity to guide public institutions in using new technologies and to develop tools that fit the sector's needs, contributing to ongoing transformation efforts in government services and engagement.