The Good Tech Companies - Revolutionizing Program Management at GE: The Shirish Borkar Success Story

Episode Date: June 18, 2025

This story was originally published on HackerNoon at: https://hackernoon.com/revolutionizing-program-management-at-ge-the-shirish-borkar-success-story. Shirish Borkar transformed GE's program management with PMO reengineering and EVM, boosting efficiency, visibility, and on-time delivery. Check more stories related to management at: https://hackernoon.com/c/management. You can also check exclusive content about #program-management-excellence, #shirish-borkar, #pmo-process-reengineering, #earned-value-management-(evm), #ge-project-success, #portfolio-optimization, #project-delivery-improvement, #good-company, and more. This story was written by: @echospiremedia. Learn more about this writer by checking @echospiremedia's about page, and for more stories, please visit hackernoon.com. Shirish Borkar led a $50M program at GE, reengineering PMO processes and implementing EVM to cut planning time by 30% and boost on-time delivery. His strategic leadership enhanced cross-team alignment, improved executive visibility, and set new standards for program and portfolio management excellence.

This audio is presented by Hacker Noon, where anyone can learn anything about any technology. Revolutionizing Program Management at GE, the Shearish Borkar success story. By Sonia Kapoor, In an era where organizations increasingly rely on sophisticated project management frameworks to drive business outcomes, the transformative success of the PMO process reengineering and EVM implementation initiative at General Electric NRPS stands as a remarkable example of leadership excellence and strategic vision. Under the guidance of Shiresh Kashanath Borkar, this comprehensive $50 million project portfolio optimization effort has established new standards for program management effectiveness and operational efficiency in

complex enterprise environments. The ambitious initiative, encompassing the management of over 200 knowledge workers across multiple programs, presented significant challenges in resource allocation, performance tracking, and cross-functional alignment. With responsibility for redesigning critical PMO processes and implementing customized earned-value management capabilities, Shirish Borkar confronted the complex task of transforming established workflows while maintaining operational continuity and stakeholder confidence. At the core of this success story was a methodical approach to process re-engineering and organizational change management.

As the process and PMO consultant, Shiresh Borkar implemented sophisticated project scheduling and resource forecasting frameworks that not only met but substantially exceeded performance targets. Through careful design of tailored workflows and alignment with industry best practices, the initiative achieved a remarkable 30% reduction in project planning and reporting effort, a significant accomplishment in an environment often challenged by administrative overhead and process complexity. The impact of this leadership extended far beyond efficiency metrics. Through strategic implementation of earned value management principles, the project delivered unprecedented visibility into portfolio performance at the executive level, enabling more informed

decision-making in resource allocation. Perhaps most notably, these enhanced capabilities directly contributed to significant improvements in on-time and on-budget project delivery across the organization a critical outcome for GE's business objectives. Stakeholder engagement played a crucial role in the project's success. By fostering enhanced collaboration between the Program Management Office and Resource Management Office, and Resource Management Office, Shiresh Borkar created sustainable improvements in forecasting accuracy and resource utilization. This cross-functional alignment served as a force multiplier, amplifying the impact of technical improvements through organizational synergy.

The achievement has garnered significant recognition, earning Shiresh Borkar the prestigious Project Excellence Award from Sadom Computer Services Limited in 2005. The project's success has become a reference point for process excellence initiatives, demonstrating how effective leadership and strategic process design can deliver exceptional results across multiple performance dimensions. For Shiresh Borkar personally, the project represented a pivotal career milestone, showcasing his ability to drive complex transformational initiatives while managing substantial portfolios and diverse teams.

As he described it, this project, served as a turning point in my career, solidifying my Interstand expertise in project and portfolio management, and established the foundation for his subsequent leadership roles in PMO development, process excellence, and enterprise transformation. This success story illustrates how strategic leadership, when combined with deep technical expertise, can transform program management capabilities in complex organizational environments. The GENRPS initiative not only contributed to immediate operational improvements but also established new standards for PMO effectiveness.

As organizations continue to seek enhanced project delivery capabilities, this initiative serves as a compelling example of how focused leadership can drive exceptional results in enterprise portfolio management. Looking ahead, the implications of this project success extend beyond immediate achievements. With over 20 years of industry experience and an impressive credential portfolio including PMI-PMP, ITIL-V3, SAFE-Agilist, and PMI-generative AI certifications, Shiresh Borkar is uniquely positioned to continue advancing the practice of program and product management. His background in petrochemical engineering combined with extensive IT transformation

experience enables him to bridge technical complexity with strategic business objectives a critical capability in today's rapidly evolving technology landscape. As Shiresh Borkar continues his distinguished career trajectory, his commitment to creating impact in program and product management positions him as a thought leader in organizational transformation, ready to tackle the next generation of enterprise challenges through innovative program management approaches. About Shiresh Kashinath Borkar Shiresh Kashinath Borkar stands at the forefront of enterprise transformation and program management excellence.

With a career spanning over two decades across multiple industries, he has distinguished himself as a versatile leader capable of navigating complex organizational challenges. His unique educational foundation in petrochemical engineering provides him with analytical problem solving capabilities that complement his extensive IT expertise. Suresh Haas built a reputation for successfully implementing sophisticated program management frameworks that balance methodological rigor with practical business requirements. His professional credentials, including PMI Project Management Professional, ITILv3, Safe Agilist, and PMI Generative AI certifications,

reflect his commitment to continuous learning and applying industry-leading practices. Throughout his career, Shearish has demonstrated exceptional ability in stakeholder management, process optimization, and building high-performing teams that consistently deliver on strategic objectives. His forward-thinking approach to digital transformation emphasizes human-centered design alongside technical innovation, creating sustainable solutions that drive measurable business value while enhancing organizational capabilities for future growth. This story was distributed as a release by EchoSpire Media under HackerNoon's Business Blogging program. Learn more about the program here. Thank you for listening to this HackerNoon story, read by Artificial Intelligence. Visit hackernoon.com to read, write, learn and publish.