As he prepares to step down after more than nine years at the helm of Infosys, outgoing CEO Salil Parekh said he believes the company is entering its next phase from a position of strength, suggesting that the work he set out to accomplish has largely been completed.
Responding to questions on why he did not seek a third term despite being eligible for another extension, Parekh stopped short of giving a direct reason but said Infosys had achieved the transformation he envisioned when he took over in January 2018.
"My sense is we've had really an incredible set of run in the impact that we've created here over the last few years," Parekh said in an interview with Moneycontrol. "This was, to me, a phenomenal way to complete what I had sort of started out on when I joined."
Read the full interview here
Parekh, whose tenure ends on March 31, 2027, took charge at a turbulent time for Infosys following a leadership crisis. During his tenure, the company doubled annual revenue from $10 billion to $20 billion, expanded its workforce from around 200,000 to more than 300,000 employees, strengthened its large deals business and pivoted from digital transformation to artificial intelligence services.
When asked why he would leave while the company was still in the middle of an AI transition, Parekh said Infosys had already laid a strong foundation for the next phase. "My sense really is, if you look at the foundation we have for AI today, it's in a very good place."
"AI services over the horizon, if you look out over the many years, is already starting to show that Infosys services business will have great traction with our clients."
He added that the company's internal culture, leadership and execution capabilities were also well positioned.
'A blessing' to work with Nandan Nilekani
Reflecting on his nearly decade-long partnership with Infosys Chairman Nandan Nilekani, Parekh described it as one of the defining experiences of his career.
"It's been really like a blessing for me to have that opportunity to work with Nandan," he said.
Calling Nilekani ‘a visionary’, Parekh credited him with helping shape the company's long-term technology strategy while also giving him the freedom to lead.
"Nandan... has a very clear view of where tech and now, of course, AI is going," Parekh said.
"He was very kind to guide me, share his thinking with me and very open... We meet regularly, discuss things... and also, in many ways, allowed me to grow in what I did."
Parekh said their partnership helped Infosys navigate major shifts, from digital transformation to the current AI wave.
Asked about Nilekani's broader role in India's public digital infrastructure and policy initiatives, Parekh said the Infosys chairman has an unusual ability to think at population scale.
"He's very gifted and also has a clear view on how to look at things at different scale," Parekh said. "I think he will make a huge impact."
Backs Ashiss Dash
Parekh also strongly endorsed CEO-designate Ashiss Dash, who was named last week to succeed him from April 1, 2027.
Calling Dash ‘a very good friend’ and ‘a great leader’, Parekh said the two would work closely over the coming months to ensure a smooth leadership transition.
"I've worked with him for so many years. Since I started, we put him in this role and he's done a very good job," Parekh said. "He's great with people, he's great with clients and he's built a nice portfolio of the business, both in terms of growth and the way the economics work."
From October, Parekh will mentor Dash to help broaden his exposure across businesses outside the verticals he currently oversees.
"We'll be working jointly to make sure that he gets a sense of it. But in my mind, he's a fantastic leader."
IT services still excites him
Even as he prepares to leave the company, Parekh said his belief in the technology services industry remains unchanged despite concerns that AI could reshape the sector.
"IT services, absolutely. For me, it's extremely enjoyable," he said.
"My own sense is there's tremendous value and opportunity in tech, in tech services. So absolutely, it's very exciting."
For now, however, Parekh said all thoughts about a second innings will have to wait until the final chapter of his first at Infosys is complete.