Shekhar Kulkarni is a visionary enterprise architect and digital transformation leader with over two decades of experience guiding organizations through technological evolution. As the Chief Architect at Deutsche Telekom Digital Labs, he spearheads Digital and AI-driven transformation initiatives and leads cross-functional teams in developing innovative solutions that bridge legacy systems with cutting-edge technologies.
Throughout his career, Shekhar has been at the forefront of successive waves of technological change—from the early days of internet adoption and distributed computing to cloud computing, service-oriented architecture, big data, and now artificial intelligence. This unique perspective across multiple technology transformations has given him exceptional insight into how architectural foundations can either enable or constrain an organization’s ability to evolve.
Shekhar has established himself as a thought leader in cognitive enterprise architecture, having developed the Cognitive Enterprise Architecture Framework (CeAF) featured in this book. His work with Deutsche Telekom’s Product Innovation and Experience (PIX) team has been instrumental in implementing AI capabilities that deliver tangible business value rather than merely interesting technical experiments.
A passionate advocate for human-centred technology, Shekhar believes that successful AI transformation must balance technical innovation with organizational readiness and ethical considerations. His practical approach to architecture has helped numerous global enterprises navigate complex transformations while maintaining operational stability.
Shekhar holds advanced degrees in computer science, complemented by certifications in enterprise architecture, cloud technologies, and distributed systems design. He is a frequent speaker at international technology conferences and regularly contributes to publications on enterprise architecture, innovation, and digital transformation.
Cognitive Enterprise 