Right choice for top job at Infosys: IT experts
“Getting Parekh makes total sense. He is a good integrator of people, board and promoters, and has experience of a multicultural environment. The three key challenges for Parekh will be to invest in digital technologies and acquisitions, build and provide an aggressive sales leadership, and sustain a global culture at Infosys” GANESH NATARAJAN IT veteran and former CEO Zensar Technologies
Salil S Parekh’s experience in handling multi-cultural work environment combined with his strong grip on technology and sales make him the perfect choice for leading Infosys, say IT industry experts.
Parekh was named as the CEO and managing director of Infosys and is slated to take charge at the helm of Infosys on January 2, 2018, for a period of five years.
Infosys, for the second time, has chosen an external candidate to lead its operations after former CEO Vishal Sikka.
“Getting Parekh to head Infosys makes total sense. He is a good integrator of people, board and promoters, and has experience of a multicultural environment,” industry veteran and former CEO Zensar Technologies Ganesh Natarajan told PTI.
Parekh will have to focus on hiring people who are strong in digital technologies and global sales as the IT industry, as also Infosys, is in midst of transition, he added.
“The three key challenges for Parekh will be to invest in digital technologies and acquisitions, build and provide an aggressive sales leadership, and sustain a global culture at Infosys,” he said.
Parekh, 53, is described as a soft-spoken yet determined man by those who know him. He was chosen from over two dozen candidates in a search that lasted about three months and covered a wide canvas of names within Infosys as well as alumni and external aspirants. Parekh had joined Capgemini in 2000 after the consulting division of E&Y was acquired by the French IT services company. He played a pivotal role in building Capgemini’s operations in India and then, in Capgemini’s acquisition of iGate in 2015.
Nasscom President R Chandrashekhar said Parekh is well entrenched in the industry and has international experience as well as a good understanding of Indian IT ecosystem. He complimented Infosys Board on moving swiftly with the search and appointing a CEO within a span of three months.
Greyhound Research Founder and CEO Sanchit Vir Gogia said that Parekh, with over two decades of experience, is a sound choice. He said Parekh’s expertise with North American and European markets will help Infosys at a time when these key markets are facing turbulence in terms of slower decision making on IT spends and increased visa scrutiny.