Deloitte has reappointed Romal Shetty as CEO for South Asia for another four-year term starting April 2027. Under his leadership, the firm aims to become the largest professional services entity in India by 2028. Investors often track such leadership stability as it signals the continuity of major strategic goals, including expansion into smaller cities and investments in artificial intelligence.
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Deloitte has officially confirmed that Romal Shetty will continue as the CEO of its South Asia operations for a second four-year term. His new tenure is scheduled to begin on April 1, 2027, following a selection process conducted by the firm's partners. This continuity is a significant development for the professional services sector in India, as the firm works toward a stated goal of becoming the country's largest player in the industry by 2028.
Since taking charge in April 2023, Shetty has overseen a period of rapid expansion. Under his guidance, Deloitte India has risen to become the sixth-largest member firm within the global Deloitte network. Furthermore, the firm's consulting practice has grown significantly, now ranking as the third-largest within Deloitte globally, sitting behind only the United States and the United Kingdom in terms of scale.
Moving forward, the firm’s strategy remains heavily focused on what it terms the Business of Tomorrow. This involves a sustained commitment to artificial intelligence, platform-based innovation, and managed services. A key part of this expansion is the Project Bharat initiative, which seeks to increase the company’s presence in Tier-2 and Tier-3 cities. This move aligns with broader trends in the Indian consulting and IT services sector, where companies are increasingly looking beyond major metropolitan hubs to access new talent pools and serve a growing base of regional clients.
Shetty brings nearly three decades of experience to the role, with a professional background that spans over 40 countries. Before rising to the position of CEO, he played a primary role in scaling Deloitte India’s consulting division. Records show that the headcount for this specific practice grew from approximately 2,000 to over 10,000 professionals within a five-year period, establishing it as one of the fastest-growing units within the firm's international operations.
For the Indian market, the stability at the top of a major professional services firm is often viewed as a signal of sustained investment in digital capabilities and infrastructure. As the company continues to reshape its business model, the primary monitorables for stakeholders will be the execution of its AI-driven service offerings and the actual pace of its geographic expansion into smaller urban centers. The success of these initiatives will likely be assessed against the backdrop of an increasingly competitive landscape for advisory and consulting services in India.