Salil Parekh is new Infosys CEO

Bengaluru, December 2

India’s no 2 IT services Infosys named Salil S Parekh as chief executive on Saturday, picking an outsider for the job for a second time and handing him the twin challenges of reviving growth and forging peace between its founders and board following a public spat.

Parekh, who will join from consultancy firm Capgemini, where he is currently an executive, has been given a 5-year term effective January 2, the company announced in its press release. 

U.B. Pravin Rao, who was serving as the interim CEO, has been re-designated as chief operating officer from January 2, Infosys said. 

Nandan Nilekani, chairman of the company’s board, said in a press statement: “We are delighted to have Salil joining as the CEO & MD of Infosys. He has nearly three decades of global experience in the IT services industry. He has a strong track record of executing business turnarounds and managing very successful acquisitions. The Board believes that he is the right person to lead Infosys at this transformative time in our industry. The Board is also grateful to Pravin for his leadership during this period of transition”. 

“After a comprehensive global search effort, we are pleased to appoint Salil as the CEO & MD. He was the top choice from a pool of highly qualified candidates. With his strong track record and extensive experience, we believe, we have the right person to lead Infosys,” Kiran Mazumdar-Shaw, chairperson of the Nomination & Remuneration Committee said in a statement. 

Former CEO Vishal Sikka announced a sudden exit in August after a protracted public spat with the company’s founding executives, led by Narayana Murthy, over strategy and alleged corporate governance lapses.

His exit led to a reshuffling of the Infosys’ board with Nandan Nilekani, a co-founder and former CEO, returning as non-executive chairman.  Agencies