The W. Frank Barton School of Business hosted a keynote speaking event featuring Sunil Srivastava, senior vice president (SVP) of core technology at Pandora on April 27 via Zoom. Sunil, a Wichita State alumnus, spoke from Pandora’s headquarters located in Copenhagen, Denmark. Sunil discussed the “Digital Transformation in Retail.” The event was open to the public.

“It’s been more than 20 years since my last engagement with the university and I’m so excited to be back,” Srivastava said. “Thank you to the Barton School for giving me the opportunity to discuss such an important topic with students, faculty and the Wichita community.”

Sunil Srivastava is the SVP of Core Technology at Pandora. He oversees the Core Technology team, leading Pandora’s engineering and technology culture to support the growth ambitions and deliver on the digital transformation.

Pandora is a Danish jewelry manufacturer and retailer that was originally founded as a family-run shop in 1982. It is known for its customizable charm bracelets, designer rings, earrings, and necklaces. Today, Pandora has a presence in more than 100 countries on six continents, 26,000 employees worldwide and a market cap of $9.5 billion. As the SVP of Core Technology, Srivastava leads Pandora’s engineering and technology culture to support its growth ambitions and deliver on digital transformation.

“Sunil has a wealth of knowledge about the retail world and the constant digital evolution it’s undergone,” said Dr. Larisa Genin, dean of the Barton School of Business. “His keynote was a powerful and eye-opening conversation for all attendees.”

After graduating from WSU, Sunil received a Master of Engineering in Computer Science from Cornell University and a Master of Business Administration Degree from the University of Washington. He has also worked for other prominent retailers, including Nordstrom where he serves as its senior director of customer technology.

“Our alumni are doing some amazing, game-changing things in their fields all around the world,” said Dr. Shirley Lefever, WSU interim executive vice president and provost. “I look forward to Sunil’s return as he shares his wisdom and inspires the next generation of Shockers.”

Sunil is originally from Singapore and holds a Master of Engineering degree in Computer Science from Cornell University, an MBA from the University of Washington Business School, and a Bachelor of Engineering from Wichita State University. In his recent leadership roles, such as Senior Director of Customer Technology at Nordstrom, Sunil has transformed Technology into a competitive advantage by prioritizing the development of talent, culture, and engineering excellence.