In a move that marks the beginning of a new chapter for India's biggest software services company Tata Consultancy Services, the IT giant has welcomed a new chief executive officer (CEO), K Krithivasan.?He is the fifth person to become the company's CEO since it was founded in 1968.
An IIT-Kanpur alumnus, Krithivasan has taken over from Rajesh Gopinathan from June 1, 2023, after the latter announced his sudden resignation earlier this year.?Outgoing TCS CEO Gopinathan will remain with the company till September 16 in an advisory role. 58-year-old Krithivasan is a TCS veteran, having been with the company for 30-plus years. He was previously president and global head of banking, financial services and insurance (BFSI) vertical that accounts for nearly a third of the company's revenue.
Krithi has a bachelor¡¯s degree in Mechanical Engineering from the University of Madras and a master¡¯s degree in Industrial and Management Engineering from IIT Kanpur.??
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"As we step into the next phase of TCS, we will continue our investments in key and emerging areas like cloud, cybersecurity, 5G, IoT, generative AI, etc., with an unrelenting focus on customer relationships and impeccable delivery," he said talking about the key focus areas of the company.
I have had the opportunity to work with many of you and built long-lasting friendships which I cherish the most," Krithivasan said in the email.?
"I have also had the opportunity to work with many of our key clients across different geographies and build deep customer relationships. I step into this role on the strength of these friendships and relationships," he added, TOI reported.
1. Rajesh Gopinathan
2017-2023
2. Natarajan Chandrasekaran
2009- 2017
3. Subramaniam Ramadorai
1996-2009
4. Faqir Chand Kohli?
1968-1996
5. K Krithivasan
2023-Present
In the fourth quarter earnings call, Krithi said, ¡°Leadership change doesn't mean a strategy change. All of us have been working with this organisation for so many years and all of us have a good understanding. Whatever strategy Rajesh put in place was also a collective leadership decision on how we want to go forward. So I don't expect a drastic strategy change. We'll be tweaking what we do based on the market situation.¡±
Rajesh Gopinathan, 52, was with TCS for 22 years. He was elevated from the role of chief financial officer to CEO in February 2017 after his predecessor N Chandrasekaran was appointed as chairman of Tata Sons. In March 2022, Gopinathan was reappointed for a period of five years ending February 2027 but resigned unexpectedly earlier this year.?Calling it a?great honour?to be leading the company, Gopinathan said that this was the most stable time for the IT industry, and he felt there was no better time to step down than now.
"I have been harbouring a few ideas on what I want to do in the next phase of my life. After deep reflection and in discussion with the Chairman and the Board, we decided that the end of this fiscal year is a good time for me to step aside and pursue those interests."?
Having been with?TCS?for over two decades since the year 2002, Gopinathan has held multiple leadership positions, including that of Chief Financial Officer.?Under Gopinathan's leadership, TCS shares have nearly tripled in value, while revenue has almost doubled?and profit jumped about 60% as of December 31, as per the report.?Resigning as TCS CEO is?a "mixed" feeling, Gopinathan had said in a media briefing.
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