Software major Infosys, which is strengthening strategic partnerships with its clients, does not see any threat from cloud computing that could change the way software is used. SD Shibulal, CEO-designate, who takes charge in August this year, in a candid chat with Hindustan Times, shared the company’s growth initiatives and acquisition plans. Excerpts:
A couple of months later you would take charge of Infosys. What will be your priorities?Well, our priority is to roll out the Infosys 3.0 vision, which essentially is about strengthening our strategic partnership with our clients and become more global.
Tell us about your plans for cloud computing (renting software services over Internet). How will a service company like yours address the issue?You need to look cloud from a client’s perspective. Our addressable market of 2,000 clients wants to be unique in the market they operate. They do not want to be a ‘Me too’ player. There can be a (cloud) platform in a company for standardised processes such as creating pay slips, or tax deduction of an employee. But a company can attain differentiation only through technology, which means there will always be space for players like us who have the ability to create this differentiation. In fact, there will be a hybrid environment of public cloud, private cloud or no cloud.
What will be your growth plans?We continue to increase our addressable market space, where we would like to add more clients in our kitty from the present tally of 620 clients. Second, we are ramping up operations in industry verticals where we do not have a major presence, for instance, life sciences, energy & utilities, healthcare.
You will be the last founder to lead Infosys. How easy will it be for the middle management to aspire for leadership positions?We are transparent and process-oriented in selecting the most competent people across all levels. These people are selected based on the recommendations made by a nomination committee that is independent. In the last ten years we have grown from a $100 million to a $6 billion company today. This effectively means we have created leadership position sixty times over.
