Infosys Chairman Narayana Murthy bids adieu again, defends son

Bengaluru: As he signed off from his second innings as chairman of Infosys, at the company’s 33rd annual general meeting on Saturday, four years ahead of his term, founder N.R. Narayana Murthy, in a long, candid and, sometimes angry, speech, spoke of the “hard and tough” choices he had to make during the past year, why he had let go of over a dozen senior executives, and of a new vision of a transformed company that would once again lead the industry.    

Admitting that Infosys had “somehow diluted the focus on meritocracy and accountability during the last decade,” he said that upon his return, he had “set about identifying hidden jewels in the company and giving them opportunity to lead its resurrection.”

Also read: Change of guard at Infosys: Vishal Sikka new CEO Narayana Murthy to step down

On the criticism he  faced for bringing his son Rohan into the company, breaking his own principle of not allowing family members into the business, Mr. Murthy said it was Rohan who had “conceived and implemented” six initiatives  that would again make Infosys an industry leader.

About the departures of 12 senior executives, Mr Murthy said, “Some of those who left were low performers, some were seniors who had higher aspirations that could not be fulfilled at Infosys. Those who had to be retained were retained.”
Rohan left the company on Saturday, as his father had promised.

Also read: Infosys CEO contender BG Srinivas quits; 10th top-level exit from the company