Beverage maker Lion has consolidated its IT and cyber leadership into a single role, now held by Ram Kalyanasundaram. Ram Kalyanasundaram, Lion Lion, which owns the brands Tooheys and Little Creatures, has promoted Kalyanasundaram to the role of group technology and digital transformation director. According to Lion, the role gives Kalyanasundaram “full accountability for all aspects of Lion’s technology function”, spanning core IT, cyber security and “driving the organisation’s long-term digital and IT direction”. The consolidation will also see Lion “bring together teams across IT to foster a unified, purpose-driven technology function”. A company spokesperson told iTnews that Kalyanasundaram is tasked with “transitioning Lion’s technology landscape towards a more flexible, scalable, and cost-efficient "as-a-service" model to support business growth”. Other key responsibilities include "ensuring Lion remains secure and resilient in an evolving digital risk landscape; enhancing how technology is embedded into business operations to drive transformation... and creating a more integrated, collaborative, and strategic technology organisation”. Kalyanasundaram, who has been with Lion for almost 14 years, was most recently director of digital operations and cyber security. Lion has not had a dedicated C-level IT leader since the departure of chief technology officer Mark Woolsey in August 2023. Instead, the technology leadership function was amalgamated into the chief growth officer position held by Anubha Sahasrabuddhe. Jamie Rossato, meanwhile, oversaw Lion’s cyber security leadership until last April when he left to join CSIRO.