Getting to know Navtez Singh Bal, Vice President & General Manager, India and South Asia

We’re delighted to welcome Navtez Singh Bal to Red Hat as a general manager for Red Hat India and South Asia region. In his new role, Navtez will be responsible for Red Hat’s business operations in a dynamic region with accelerated growth. Navtez brings over 25 years of broad industry experience, a proven track record of leading transformative strategies, and a deep commitment to delivering customer success. 

Prior to joining Red Hat, Navtez held several leadership roles, including chief operating officer for India at Microsoft, senior partner at McKinsey India, and vice president and general manager for Strategic Business Development for IBM, covering India and South Asia.

We caught up with Navtez to hear his perspectives on open source and Red Hat, and his insights on leadership.

Q: Why did you choose to join Red Hat?

Over the years, I have had the privilege of working alongside Red Hat teams in both Microsoft and IBM contexts. What stood out consistently was the quality of people — high-integrity professionals with deep expertise and a strong sense of purpose. I also heard fantastic references from multiple customers who viewed Red Hat not just as a vendor, but as a trusted partner in their transformation journeys. What drew me most, though, was Red Hat’s unique position in the market. 

The open source model is not just innovative—it’s deeply aligned with the kind of sustainable, collaborative innovation that enterprises and governments need today. Red Hat sits at the intersection of business-critical technology and community-driven evolution. That’s an incredibly powerful space to be in, especially in a country like India where scale, openness, and inclusion are vital.

Q: What do you look most forward to in your new role?

I’m most excited about working closely with our teams—being in the trenches, understanding challenges firsthand, and building something meaningful together. I’m a strong believer in execution, and I look forward to translating strategy into tangible customer outcomes. We have an opportunity to create reference stories that showcase the power of Red Hat’s platforms in India’s digital journey. I’m also keen to learn from the brilliant minds across our India, APAC, and global teams. There’s so much collective intelligence in this organisation, and I want to tap into that to elevate our impact.

But above all, I’m focused on building a sense of shared pride among our associates. As India digitises at scale, Red Hat can play a pivotal role—not just as a technology partner but as a catalyst for progress. That’s a purpose worth striving for.

Q: India is in a unique place right now - policy, innovation, digital infra, AI - it’s all accelerating. What do you see as Red Hat India’s biggest opportunity?

India is brimming with opportunity. Whether it’s modernising the financial services backbone, enabling intelligent edge transformation in manufacturing and energy, or contributing to the government’s digital vision—there are compelling, high-impact avenues for Red Hat everywhere.

But to create real value, we have to be focused. We need to go deep where we’re natural owners. That means doubling down on the industry slivers where our technology truly drives differentiated outcomes.

Another frontier, I believe, we must lean into is AI. We have a real opportunity to position Red Hat as a critical player in the AI value chain—helping customers operationalise AI in a scalable, secure, and open way. That will be vital for our long-term relevance in the Indian market.

Q:  Could you share some learning or insights into your leadership journey throughout your career?
Across my consulting and executive career, I’ve worked closely with over 30 global organisations. Each had its flavor, but the ones that stood out for their sustained excellence had some common traits.

First, they encouraged the meritocracy of ideas—where every voice mattered and dissent was seen as a responsibility, not a disruption. Second, they struck a rare balance between being customer-first and people-first. Operational excellence was non-negotiable, and agility was built into the fabric—whether that meant reallocating resources quickly or pivoting strategy in response to market shifts.

And finally, successful leaders never lose sight of the big picture. They remained grounded but also deeply attuned to the mega trends shaping the future.

On a personal level, humility and integrity have been my compass. No title or position substitutes for those two traits—and I believe they are essential for building trust and delivering long-term impact.