K V Kamath takes over as chairman of Infosys
See photo
BANGALORE: In a major top-level management restructuring, India's second largest software firm Infosys on Saturday named veteran banker K V Kamath as the new chairman to succeed founder N R Narayana Murthy, who retires in August.
The over USD 6-billion Infosys Technologies has also appointed current CEO S Gopalakrishnan as the executive co-chairman and promoted chief operating officer (COO) S D Shibulal as CEO and MD.
Murthy, who turns 65 in August, would become chairman emeritus.
These appointments, effective August 21, 2011 were approved at the company's board meeting held here today.
Kamath, 63, is currently an independent director on the board of Infosys. He is the non-executive chairman of ICICI Bank, the country's largest private lender.
"I am very very pleased with (all) these appointments," Murthy told reporters after the board meeting.
"Kamath, Kris and Shibu will make an ideal team. I am grateful to the company for appointing me as chairman emeritus and providing me an opportunity to add value to the board...," he said.
Infosys would also be appointing three new directors before the annual general meeting in June.
The major board recast comes at a time when Infosys is facing stiff competitive environment and tough business conditions.
The names of Kamath, Gopalakrishnan and Shibulal were recommended by the three-member Nominations Committee, chaired by Jeffrey S Lehman.
"These three leaders meld an extraordinary range of talents and experiences with a united commitment to drive the company... We could not be in better hands," Lehman said.
A well-known personality in the corporate circles, Kamath was the key driving force in the success of ICICI Bank.
"I feel greatly honoured to have been asked to be the chairman of Infosys by the board of directors and accept this responsibility with a deep sense of humility," Kamath said.
One of the co-founders, Kris Gopalakrishnan has been Infosys CEO since June 2007.
Shibulal, another co-founder, is currently the Chief Operating Officer (COO).
"We will ensure that this leadership transition is smooth... We are also making other organisational changes to strengthen our market position and ability to serve our clients better," Shibulal said.
Headquartered in Bangalore, Infosys has 64 offices and 63 development centres across the US, the UK, China, Australia and Japan, among other countries.
The company and its subsidiaries had a workforce of 1,30,820 employees as of March 31, 2011
Saturday, April 30, 2011
1971 PoW Surjit Singh in Pakistan jail?
Four decades after being declared dead, BSF jawan Surjit Singh is reported to be alive and lodged in Pakistan's Kot Lakhpat jail. Leading rights activist Ansar Burney claims that an Indian prisoner of war - captured during the 1971 war - has been found in a Pak prison.
Burney said that the PoW is Surjit Singh who was captured in 1971 and his jail term ended in December 2010.
Burney also said that he has sent petitions to Pakistan President Asif Zardari and the Prime Minister Yousuf Gilani to release and repatriate Singh to India on humanitarian grounds.
During the 1971 India-Pakistan war, Surjit, a local resident, was caught by the Pakistan army and put in jail as a prisoner of war (POW). Subsequently, the Indian government declared him dead, said wife Angrej Kaur, 70.
After handing over the death certificate, the government granted family pension and other benefits to Angrej Kaur as Surjit's "widow".
After having lost all hope, she and her son, Amrik Singh, 39, have now set their sights on a reunion.
Burney said that the PoW is Surjit Singh who was captured in 1971 and his jail term ended in December 2010.
Burney also said that he has sent petitions to Pakistan President Asif Zardari and the Prime Minister Yousuf Gilani to release and repatriate Singh to India on humanitarian grounds.
During the 1971 India-Pakistan war, Surjit, a local resident, was caught by the Pakistan army and put in jail as a prisoner of war (POW). Subsequently, the Indian government declared him dead, said wife Angrej Kaur, 70.
After handing over the death certificate, the government granted family pension and other benefits to Angrej Kaur as Surjit's "widow".
After having lost all hope, she and her son, Amrik Singh, 39, have now set their sights on a reunion.
Left parties support striking Air India pilots, seeks PM's intervention
NEW DELHI: The CPI today came out in support of the striking Air India pilots and sought Prime Minister Manmohan Singh's intervention to end the crisis, saying the Civil Aviation Ministry has "completely failed" to protect the interests of the national carrier.
"The Civil Aviation Ministry has completely failed to resolve the issue and protect the interests of the national carrier," CPI National Secretary D Raja said here.
He said the Prime Minister should immediately intervene and "direct the Civil Aviation Ministry to hold negotiations with the pilots and other sections of the employees for a negotiated settlement".
Maintaining that Air India could have turned around and become profitable with all its infrastructure and manpower had the Ministry taken the right measures, Raja said the government has "not taken adequate steps to strengthen the national carrier".
"It is not the question of pilots alone, but the concern of the employees of all categories who are affected".
The CPI leader asked whether the current civil aviation policy "favoured the private parties to subvert and destroy Air India and the Airports Authority of India " and said "the time has come to review the entire policy forthwith".
Raja said the national carrier had withdrawn flights from several prime routes, including Chennai-Colombo and Gulf, allowing private carriers to operate on them. "Even prime time slots were given away to private airlines," he alleged.
"So, Air India has been neglected because of government policies and that is why the employees are demanding the removal of the CMD ( Arvind Jadhav ))", he alleged, terming it as "a very serious issue".
The CPI(M) has also accused Air India management of showing an "attitude of repression" towards its striking pilots by derecognising their union and sacking their leaders and demanded that it should sit with the protesters to resolve the issue.
"Irrespective of the merits of the demands raised by striking pilots, we strongly object to the way the Air India management has derecognised the pilots' unions. Everybody has the right to organise unions. It is a fundamental right," party General Secretary Prakash Karat said yesterday.
"The Civil Aviation Ministry has completely failed to resolve the issue and protect the interests of the national carrier," CPI National Secretary D Raja said here.
He said the Prime Minister should immediately intervene and "direct the Civil Aviation Ministry to hold negotiations with the pilots and other sections of the employees for a negotiated settlement".
Maintaining that Air India could have turned around and become profitable with all its infrastructure and manpower had the Ministry taken the right measures, Raja said the government has "not taken adequate steps to strengthen the national carrier".
"It is not the question of pilots alone, but the concern of the employees of all categories who are affected".
The CPI leader asked whether the current civil aviation policy "favoured the private parties to subvert and destroy Air India and the Airports Authority of India " and said "the time has come to review the entire policy forthwith".
Raja said the national carrier had withdrawn flights from several prime routes, including Chennai-Colombo and Gulf, allowing private carriers to operate on them. "Even prime time slots were given away to private airlines," he alleged.
"So, Air India has been neglected because of government policies and that is why the employees are demanding the removal of the CMD ( Arvind Jadhav ))", he alleged, terming it as "a very serious issue".
The CPI(M) has also accused Air India management of showing an "attitude of repression" towards its striking pilots by derecognising their union and sacking their leaders and demanded that it should sit with the protesters to resolve the issue.
"Irrespective of the merits of the demands raised by striking pilots, we strongly object to the way the Air India management has derecognised the pilots' unions. Everybody has the right to organise unions. It is a fundamental right," party General Secretary Prakash Karat said yesterday.
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