People Move · August 2026

RateGain appoints Shobana Kailash as Chief Human Resources Officer.

Shobana Kailash joins RateGain as CHRO, succeeding Sahil Sharma. She brings over 20 years of HR experience across Amazon, Freshworks and IQVIA.

Shobana Kailash appointed CHRO of RateGain marks a key HR leadership transition for the travel technology company, which has named her Chief Human Resources Officer and Senior Management Personnel effective August 25, 2026. She succeeds Sahil Sharma in the role.

In her new role at RateGain, Kailash will oversee the company's HR function and work with its leadership team on hiring, employee development, workplace culture and leadership programmes. She will also support RateGain as the company expands its workforce across different markets.

Shobana Kailash appointed CHRO of RateGain

The appointment puts Kailash in charge of RateGain's people function at a time when the company is growing across markets and adapting its workforce to changes in technology.

RateGain Travel Technologies provides software and technology solutions to companies in the travel and hospitality sector, including hotels, airlines and other travel businesses across international markets.

More than two decades of global HR experience

Kailash brings more than 20 years of experience in human resources and has worked with companies including Amazon, Freshworks and IQVIA.

During her career, she has worked across more than 30 countries and handled areas such as talent management, organisational development, HR operations and leadership development.

Before joining RateGain, she worked with organisations across technology, SaaS, e-commerce and life sciences. Her career includes HR leadership roles where she worked with teams across countries and supported companies during periods of expansion and organisational change.

A leadership transition during growth and AI adoption

Her appointment comes as RateGain continues to expand its operations and increase the use of artificial intelligence across its business. For the HR function, this will also mean preparing employees for changes in roles, skills and ways of working.

Kailash takes over from Sahil Sharma, who has been associated with RateGain since 2016. During his tenure, Sharma worked on building the company's HR function and was part of its journey through its public listing and business expansion.

The leadership change gives RateGain an opportunity to align workforce planning, employee development and change management more closely with its next phase of growth.

HireRoute Take

This appointment is notable because it comes at the intersection of international expansion and AI-driven business change.

For companies like RateGain, the CHRO role increasingly includes preparing teams for evolving skills, managing culture across markets and helping leaders navigate organisational change without losing momentum.

Kailash's cross-sector background and experience across multiple geographies could prove valuable as RateGain builds a workforce that is both growth-ready and adaptable to changing technology demands.