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Infosys Limited

Information technology services and consultingFounded 1981
Reviewed by Swet Parvadiya
Company data updated: October 2026

Leadership History

Infosys: CEO History

4 leaders · 2011 to present

Who is the CEO of Infosys?

Salil Parekh is the CEO of Infosys, in the role since 2018. The first chief executive was S. D. Shibulal, from 2011.

Current CEO
Salil Parekh (since 2018)
First CEO
S. D. Shibulal (2011)
Leaders documented
5
Founded
1981
NameRoleFromToYears in role
Salil ParekhChief Executive Officer and Managing Director2018Present8
Nandan NilekaniCo-founder and Non-Executive Chairman2017Present9
Vishal SikkaFormer CEO201420173
S. D. ShibulalCo-founder and Former CEO201120143
Who was CEO of Infosys before Salil Parekh?
Vishal Sikka was CEO of Infosys from 2014 to 2017, before Salil Parekh took over in 2018.

Company Overview

Infosys runs critical technology systems for many of the world's largest banks, insurers, retailers, manufacturers, and telecom operators. Clients hire it to modernise legacy applications, move workloads to the cloud, implement SAP and Salesforce, build engineering software, and increasingly deploy enterprise AI. Most delivery happens from Indian development centres, with consultants on site in the US, Europe, and Australia. Nandan Nilekani chairs the board and Salil Parekh has been CEO since January 2018. The company is headquartered in Bangalore, India. The incredibly dominant Indian IT services pioneer was founded in Pune in 1981 by seven engineers with just $250, completely defining the modern global outsourcing and software consulting industry.

Salil Parekh

Chief Executive Officer and Managing Director

2018 – Present

8 years (current)

Key Decisions & Impact

Parekh joined from Capgemini in January 2018 after a period of boardroom conflict. He reorganised Infosys around digital and cloud work, launched the Cobalt cloud and Topaz AI service brands, and pushed a large-deal sales strategy. He also backed mid-sized acquisitions such as Simplus, GuideVision, in-tech, and MRE Consulting to add specialist skills.

Legacy

Under Parekh revenue rose from about $11.8 billion in FY2019 to $20.16 billion in FY2026 while operating margins stayed near 20%-21%. His board reappointed him for a second five-year term starting April 2022.

Source →

Nandan Nilekani

Co-founder and Non-Executive Chairman

2017 – Present

9 years (current)

Key Decisions & Impact

Nilekani returned as chairman in August 2017 after CEO Vishal Sikka resigned amid a dispute with the founders over governance and the Panaya deal. He rebuilt the board and led the search that hired Salil Parekh.

Legacy

His return restored investor confidence and ended the founder-board conflict. He earlier served as CEO from 2002 to 2007 and led India's Aadhaar digital ID programme.

Source →

Vishal Sikka

Former CEO

2014 – 2017

3 years

Key Decisions & Impact

Infosys's first non-founder CEO, hired from SAP. He pushed automation, the Mana AI platform, and acquisitions including Panaya and Skava.

Legacy

He resigned in August 2017 after public criticism from founder N. R. Narayana Murthy over governance, executive pay, and the Panaya acquisition.

Source →

S. D. Shibulal

Co-founder and Former CEO

2011 – 2014

3 years

Key Decisions & Impact

Shibulal led the 'Infosys 3.0' strategy, attempting to shift the company away from basic IT services toward higher-margin consulting and intellectual property products.

Legacy

As one of the original founders serving as CEO, his tenure saw Infosys struggle with lagging growth compared to TCS, prompting the return of N.R. Narayana Murthy to stabilize operations.

Source →

Other senior executives

These officers report to the chief executive and are not part of the CEO timeline above.

  • Jayesh Sanghrajka, Chief Financial Officer (2023 – present)Sanghrajka became CFO in April 2024 after serving as interim CFO from December 2023, following Nilanjan Roy's exit. He oversees guidance, capital allocation, and shareholder payouts.Source →

Challenges & Strategic Context

Infosys faces slow discretionary IT spending, AI-driven pricing pressure on maintenance and testing work, client-specific shocks (it cut FY2027 guidance in July 2026 partly because of a one-time client impact), US visa costs, and competition from TCS, Accenture, HCLTech, Wipro, Cognizant, and Capgemini. Its ADR price fell sharply during 2026 as investors questioned how AI will affect services revenue.

Infosys CEO and Leadership FAQ

Who is Salil Parekh and what is his leadership background as CEO of Infosys?

Salil Parekh is the Chief Executive Officer and Managing Director of Infosys, appointed in January 2018. An aerospace engineer from IIT Bombay and Cornell University, Parekh spent over 25 years in leadership at Capgemini before joining Infosys, driving record digital revenue expansion.

What major strategic accomplishments have defined Salil Parekh's tenure?

Under Salil Parekh, Infosys restored executive stability, increased digital revenue mix from 25% to over 65%, won historic mega-deals (Vanguard, Daimler, BP), launched Cobalt and Topaz, expanded non-US geographic footprints, and delivered superior total shareholder returns.

Who was Dr. Vishal Sikka and what was his tenure as CEO from 2014 to 2017?

Dr. Vishal Sikka (former CTO and board member at SAP) was Infosys's first non-founder CEO (2014 to 2017). Sikka introduced Design Thinking, launched the Mana AI platform (which became Nia), and drove software product focus before resigning over governance differences with the founders.

Who was N. R. Narayana Murthy and how did he lead Infosys as founding CEO for 21 years?

N. R. Narayana Murthy led Infosys from its founding in 1981 until 2002 (and as Chairman until 2011, briefly returning as Executive Chairman in 2013 to 2014). Regarded as the father of the Indian IT revolution, Murthy championed spotless corporate governance, employee wealth creation, and established the NASDAQ listing.

Who was Nandan Nilekani and what was his impact as CEO and non-executive Chairman?

Nandan Nilekani served as CEO from 2002 to 2007 (growing revenue from $500M to $3B), later architected India's Aadhaar biometric identification system, and returned as Non-Executive Chairman in August 2017 to stabilize governance and oversee strategic leadership.

Who were S. Gopalakrishnan (Kris) and S. D. Shibulal during the founder-CEO era?

Co-founders Kris Gopalakrishnan (CEO 2007 to 2011) and S. D. Shibulal (CEO 2011 to 2014) each served as chief executive, steering the company through the 2008 financial crisis, scaling Finacle, and expanding global delivery infrastructure.

What is the famous corporate governance philosophy established by Infosys leadership?

Infosys established the gold standard of Indian corporate governance under the maxim: 'When in doubt, disclose' and 'The best way to generate wealth is to share it ethically,' becoming the first Indian company to issue stock options (ESOPs) to all employees.

Who are the key executive leaders supporting Salil Parekh today?

Infosys executive leadership includes Chief Financial Officer Jayesh Sanghrajka, Chief Human Resources Officer Shaji Mathew, and top executive vice presidents leading global industry verticals.

Who is the CEO of Infosys?

Salil Parekh is the current CEO. He was brought in to stabilize the company after the highly turbulent resignation of Vishal Sikka in 2017. Sikka (the first non-founder CEO) clashed massively with the founders over corporate governance. Parekh brilliantly calmed the markets, ruthlessly refocused the company on digital transformation, and restored massive growth.

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Content is for informational purposes only. Not financial advice. Data sourced from SEC filings, annual reports, and public records. See our full disclaimer and methodology.