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Chevron expands Bengaluru innovation hub to drive digital and AI transformation

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Chevron has expanded its Engineering and Innovation Excellence Center (ENGINE) in Bengaluru, opening a new 312,000-square-foot facility to boost its digital and AI capabilities. The move marks a major step in the U.S. energy giant’s global effort to streamline operations and leverage India’s deep technology talent pool.

The expansion comes a year after the launch of ENGINE, which consolidates Chevron’s global technical work and supports its target of up to $3 billion in cost savings by 2026. “We were a very decentralized organization until recently,” said Akshay Sahni, Chevron’s India country head. “We use AI to improve machine performance and drilling efficiency—it’s about smarter operations, not just cost cuts.”

Chevron’s focus on Bengaluru reflects the growing importance of India’s STEM and IT ecosystem in the energy transition. The center employs more than 1,000 professionals across disciplines such as mechanical, civil, and petroleum engineering, and plans to invest around $1 billion over the next few years in technology, infrastructure, and workforce development.

The facility features high-performance computing systems for real-time geological modeling and digital twins—virtual replicas of Chevron’s plants that enhance monitoring and maintenance.

Despite global workforce reductions of up to 20%, Chevron emphasized that its India operations are about innovation and future growth. “For now, our focus is on expanding Bengaluru and upskilling our people as technology evolves,” Sahni said.

BIS Digital Currency Chief Cecilia Skingsley Steps Down Early for Swedish Government Role

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Cecilia Skingsley, the head of the Bank for International Settlements (BIS) Innovation Hub, is stepping down two years before the end of her five-year term to return to Sweden for a government appointment, the BIS announced.

Skingsley, a former deputy governor of Sweden’s Riksbank, will become County Governor of Stockholm County next month. She began her role at the BIS in September 2022, leading its work on central bank digital currencies (CBDCs) and other fintech innovations.

Departure Comes Amid BIS Strategic Shift

Her departure coincides with broader structural changes at the BIS, ahead of incoming General Manager Pablo Hernández de Cos, who takes over in July. Reports earlier this year indicated plans to scale back the Innovation Hub, which had grown rapidly since its 2019 launch, expanding to seven global financial centers including London, Singapore, and Hong Kong.

“Under Skingsley, the Innovation Hub made great strides toward fulfilling our strategic goal of helping central banks face the challenges of the future,” said Agustín Carstens, the BIS’s current chief.

CBDC Landscape in Flux

Skingsley’s exit also follows increasing geopolitical tension around CBDCs. Notably, the BIS abruptly withdrew last year from a high-profile CBDC pilot project with China and other Asian central banks, raising questions about internal policy shifts and global alignment.

CBDCs remain a strategic frontier for central banks, with dozens of jurisdictions exploring digital versions of national currencies amid competition from private stablecoins and global digital finance trends.

Interim Leadership and Succession Plans

  • The BIS said Deputy General Manager Andréa Maechler, formerly of the Swiss National Bank, will serve as interim head of the Innovation Hub.

  • A formal recruitment process for Skingsley’s successor will be announced “in due course.”

Skingsley’s early exit may influence how central banks recalibrate their digital currency strategies in the face of evolving regulatory, technological, and geopolitical pressures.