C Vijayakumar, already one in all Indian IT’s longest-serving CEOs, is ready for a 3rd stint as chief govt of HCL Applied sciences. Late on Thursday the board of the Noida-based firm granted him a five-year extension. In a inventory alternate submitting, HCLTech mentioned it authorised Vijayakumar’s reappointment from 1 September 2025 to 31 March 2030, topic to the approval of shareholders.
Vijayakumar, 57, is a HCLTech veteran who has spent round three a long time on the firm. He first occupied its nook workplace in October 2016. He was given a second time period on 20 July 2021 and handed the extra accountability as managing director when then chief technique officer Shiv Nadar stepped down.
Srikrishna Ramakarthikeyyan of Hexaware Applied sciences is Indian IT’s longest-serving CEO, having taken over in August 2014. Vijayakumar is the longest-serving CEO among the many high 5 IT companies, adopted by Salil Parekh, 60, who joined Infosys as CEO in January 2018 and stays within the position. Tata Consultancy Companies, Wipro Ltd and Tech Mahindra have been a change on the high previously 30 months.
Toppling Wipro and different achievements
Vijayakumar oversaw HCLTech’s toppling of Wipro Ltd because the nation’s third-largest IT outsourcer in July 2018. Seven years later, the pecking order on the high stays unchanged. He’s additionally the highest-earning chief govt of an Indian IT agency, having bagged ₹84.16 crore in wage as of March 2024. His present wage is unknown as HCLTech is but to launch its annual report for FY25.
A significant purpose for his extension is the corporate’s outperformance in relation to its friends. Between 1 April 2017 and 31 March 2025, HCLTech grew at a compound annual charge of 8.94%, the best among the many high 5 IT companies.
Below CVK, as he’s identified throughout the firm, HCLTech added $9.3 billion in incremental income between 1 October 2016 and 31 June 2025. That is nearly the scale of Wipro Ltd, India’s fourth-largest IT outsourcer.
The corporate additionally gained its largest deal beneath Vijayakumar in August 2023. HCLTech bagged a six-year contract with US telecom firm Verizon Communications that will fetch it $2.1 billion. It has additionally guess on software program merchandise, making it one of many few software program outsourcers to buy and license mental property, and construct and promote software program merchandise to shoppers.
The corporate’s confidence in Vijayakumar additionally stems from the reality that HCLTech has grown the quickest among the many high 5 for 2 straight years, at a time when shoppers have been cautious of macroeconomic uncertainties and development within the $283-billion IT business has slowed. HCLTech ended the final fiscal yr with $13.8 billion of income, up 4.3%.
Vijayakumar has had his challenges, resembling growing the corporate’s working margins. Over the previous eight years, HCLTech’s working margins tanked 200 foundation factors to 18.3% in FY25. Nonetheless, shareholders have not misplaced religion. HCLTech’s shares have jumped 87% since Vijayakumar took over as CEO, and closed at ₹1,506.95 on Thursday.