Deere & Co. said Rajesh Kalathur will retire as chief information officer (CIO) on Jan. 31, ending a 28-year career that has spanned finance, international operations and the company’s ongoing shift toward technology-enabled products and services.
It included the announcement in a Dec. 3 Form 8-K filing with federal regulators. Kalathur also serves as president of John Deere Financial. His dual assignment positioned him at the center of Deere’s efforts to link digital technology and customer-facing business models. Deere did not disclose a successor for either role.
Kalathur’s departure as Deere CIO
Kalathur joined Deere in 1996. From then, he rose through roles in finance, marketing and operations across the U.S. and global markets. That included leadership in India and regional sales and marketing oversight across Asia and Africa.
He became Deere’s CIO in 2019, part of a broader leadership push to modernize the company’s technology foundation as it increased investment in ecommerce capabilities and connected-equipment platforms. Deere has been integrating online parts ordering into its machine-monitoring tools, allowing fleet managers to track service needs and purchase replacement components directly through its digital ecosystem.
The company’s evolving online services are designed to support a growing installed base of smart and semi-autonomous equipment — a shift that places more attention on software, data and recurring digital revenue alongside traditional machinery sales. As CIO, Kalathur helped move IT toward a more agile operating model to support those initiatives.
With his upcoming departure, Deere enters a period of transition in its digital leadership at a time when more equipment owners and dealers are transacting online and relying on data services to manage operations. The company said Kalathur will stay in his roles through the handoff but has not provided details on timing for his replacement.
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