He was the Chairman and chief executive officer (CEO) of Harman International, a provider of audio and infotainment systems for the automotive, consumer, and professional markets, from 2007 to 2020.

[3] During his 22 years with ABB, he held management positions in five countries[4] and was instrumental in the company's turnaround during the period 2002–2007.

[10] In 2017, Paliwal was named to the inaugural Recode 100, recognizing the year's most influential people in tech, business and media, and B'nai B'rith International honored him with its Distinguished Achievement Award.

[12] Samsung announced its intent to acquire HARMAN for approximately $8 billion in November 2016,[13] with Paliwal continuing to lead the company post-acquisition.

He was later awarded a full scholarship to pursue advanced degrees in Engineering and Management at Miami University, Oxford, Ohio, US.

[citation needed] Paliwal left India in 1981, but still visits frequently with his family and for business activities.