Welcome to RELI Group’s Leadership Spotlight series! In this series, we’ll delve into the background, passions and philosophies of some of Team RELI’s best and brightest minds. Each post includes the same five questions, offering a comprehensive glimpse into the folks that make RELI great.
In today’s Leadership Spotlight, get to know Agasthya (AK) Kumar Kesavabhotla, Director of Solutions Architecture at RELI Group. AK brings more than two decades of experience leading enterprise-scale digital transformation and modernization across government, healthcare, finance, media and aerospace. His work centers on aligning technology with mission needs to deliver practical, measurable outcomes.
Can you share a pivotal moment in your career that influenced your path in government contracting?
A pivotal moment in my career came while leading data and analytics modernization efforts for federal agencies, including work supporting the United States Food and Drug Administration cloud-first initiatives. That experience fundamentally shifted how I define success in government work. I realized that delivering value is not about implementing technology for its own sake. It is about understanding frontline users, how they work and the broader ecosystem of governance, policy, security and regulation that shapes government operations.
Unlike the private sector, where teams can move quickly and experiment with emerging technologies, government solutions require a more holistic approach. Every architectural decision must account for mission outcomes, compliance requirements, scalability and long-term sustainability. That realization pushed me to expand my perspective as a solutions architect and reinforced that success depends on aligning technology with real user needs and mission priorities, not just technical completion.
What drives your passion for working in government contracting?
What motivates me most is the opportunity to solve complex, mission-driven challenges that directly impact the public. Government work supports public health, safety, digital equity and access to essential services. That purpose adds a layer of responsibility and meaning that goes beyond typical enterprise work.
Government environments also bring unique constraints, from legacy systems and funding realities to compliance and security requirements. Navigating those constraints while still delivering effective solutions is both challenging and rewarding. There is no one-size-fits-all answer. Finding the right solution for the right moment, within real-world boundaries, is what keeps the work engaging.
On a personal level, the pace of technological change also fuels my passion. With advancements in AI, data platforms and cloud architectures evolving rapidly, continuous learning is essential. Government contracting allows me to apply that learning in ways that create lasting impact.
How do you approach leadership and team building?
My leadership philosophy centers on clarity, empowerment and accountability. I believe strongly in servant leadership, supporting teams by removing obstacles, providing guidance and helping individuals grow. At the same time, there are moments when leading by example is essential, especially when working with early-career professionals or teams navigating unfamiliar challenges.
I adapt my leadership style based on the situation and the people involved. Some team members need hands-on mentorship, while others benefit from autonomy and space to lead. My goal is to help individuals understand the bigger picture, the constraints we operate within and how their work connects to mission outcomes.
Communication is also critical. Many engineers are fluent in technical language but need support translating their work for non-technical audiences. Helping teams build that skill strengthens collaboration across programs and organizations. Ultimately, I aim to build resilient teams where knowledge is shared, accountability is collective and everyone is prepared to step up when needed.
What innovations or trends in the government sector excite you the most?
Generative AI and agentic workflows are among the most exciting developments in the public sector today. We are seeing a shift from traditional automation toward intelligent systems that operate with human oversight. In government, this human-in-the-loop approach is essential for maintaining trust, accountability and responsible use.
I am also energized by the growing focus on turning data into actionable value. Government agencies have vast amounts of data, but the challenge is ensuring the right data reaches the right people at the right time to support informed decisions. Advances in analytics platforms, predictive and prescriptive analytics and cloud-based architectures are helping unlock that potential.
Interoperability, API-driven architectures and secure cross-platform cloud solutions are also critical trends. Together, these innovations support modernization efforts while improving efficiency, transparency and mission outcomes.
Can you discuss a project or initiative you’re particularly proud of?
One of the projects that stands out involved modernizing a highly manual aircraft testing and certification process for a large aerospace organization. Teams were operating in silos, relying on disconnected Excel spreadsheets to manage testing data. This led to delays, rising costs and limited visibility.
As part of the Modernization and Digital Transformation initiative, we redesigned the process by standardizing testing templates, migrating legacy data into a structured database, and layering analytics and AI/ML on top of the new system. This approach allowed the organization to identify patterns, streamline and optimize testing sequences, and reduce rework. As a result, they improved delivery timelines and achieved meaningful cost savings.
Equally important was user adoption. Initially, teams were hesitant to move away from familiar tools. By redesigning the interface to mirror the workflows users were comfortable with, we built trust and buy-in. The project reinforced a core belief of mine: successful solutions emerge when technology, user experience and mission needs are aligned.
