Business Head - AI Hardware Distribution

ReportingTo - CEO / Founder

Role Overview

The Business Head - AI Hardware will have end-to-end ownership of the AI Hardware business, including strategy, brand acquisition, distribution partnerships, sales, channel development, marketing, supply chain, working capital and P&L.

This is a 0-to-1 business-building role. The successful candidate will identify high-potential AI hardware categories and brands, secure strategic partnerships, build the distribution ecosystem and scale the business into a significant and profitable platform.

• Develop Ripplrs AI Hardware distribution strategy and 35 year business plan.
• Identify high-potential AI hardware categories, market size, competitive dynamics, margins and channel economics.
• Define revenue, gross margin, EBITDA, market-share and working-capital objectives.

• Identify global and Indian AI hardware companies seeking entry or expansion in India.
• Build senior relationships with founders, CEOs and global business leaders.
• Negotiate exclusive, preferred or national distribution and go-to-market partnerships.
• Create compelling India market-entry propositions for international brands.

• Build a portfolio across AI PCs/laptops, workstations, GPUs/accelerators, AI servers, edge AI, robotics, AI vision, networking, developer hardware and emerging AI devices.
• Continuously evaluate new technologies and determine where Ripplr should participate.

• Build enterprise, SMB, channel, system-integrator, reseller, retail, marketplace and e-commerce routes to market.
• Develop partner segmentation, incentives, demand generation and sell-through programmes.
• Build national and regional distribution coverage.

• Own revenue, gross margin, contribution margin, EBITDA, inventory, receivables and working capital.
• Drive healthy inventory turns and channel profitability.
• Establish business dashboards and operating cadence.

• Build the core team across brand management, enterprise/channel sales, product, presales, marketing, supply chain and commercial operations.
• Develop relationships with OEMs, cloud providers, data centres, system integrators, AI solution providers, technology ecosystems and industry bodies.

• Revenue and gross-margin growth
• EBITDA and cash/working-capital efficiency
• Number and quality of strategic brands onboarded
• Exclusive/preferred distribution agreements
• Enterprise and channel partner acquisition
• Sell-through and inventory turns
• Market share and brand satisfaction
• Successful launch of new AI hardware categories

• 0-3 months: Complete market assessment, prioritise categories, build target-brand pipeline and finalise business plan.
• 3-6 months: Secure initial strategic partnerships, establish GTM architecture and build the core team.
• 6-12 months: Establish national channel presence, build enterprise pipeline and scale initial brands.
• 12-18 months: Establish Ripplr as a credible AI hardware distribution platform with a scalable and profitable business model.

• 12-18 years of experience in technology hardware, IT distribution, enterprise technology, consumer electronics or adjacent sectors.
• Strong understanding of the Indian technology distribution ecosystem.
• Proven track record of building/scaling a business, category or P&L.
• Strong relationships with OEMs, technology brands, distributors, VARs, system integrators and enterprise customers.
• Experience negotiating distribution partnerships with global technology brands.
• Strong commercial, financial and working-capital orientation.
• Ability to understand complex technology products and convert them into commercial opportunities.
• Entrepreneurial mindset and demonstrated 0-to-1 execution capability.

• GPU / AI infrastructure / servers / workstations
• Enterprise hardware / data-centre infrastructure
• Networking / semiconductor ecosystem
• AI/ML ecosystem or AI infrastructure startups
• Value-added IT distribution and system integration

• Entrepreneurial and highly ownership-driven
• Strong network-builder and relationship manager
• Commercially sharp and financially disciplined
• Technically curious and able to learn rapidly
• Strong negotiator with global-brand orientation
• Comfortable operating in ambiguity and building from scratch.