Infosys sharpens focus on growth segments

Prasad Thrikutam to head Americas in addition to his existing portfolio

Infosys has made three distinct changes in its organisational structure during the second quarter of FY14. The changes are part of the company’s initiatives to sharpen focus on growth markets, said S D Shibulal, CEO and managing director.

According to him, the company has sharpened its focus on growth markets by combining Australia, China, Japan, West Asia and Southeast Asia markets under the newly-created Growth Markets Unit. All these countries will be headed by the respective country heads, who in turn will report to Dheeshjith V G, head of Growth Markets Unit.

“The changes will help us to sharpen focus on growth markets, improve productivity and utilisation and increase client velocity,” said Shibulal.

The company has also created a new industry vertical business unit called Utilities and Resources with integrated sales and delivery. This unit will be headed by Stephen Pratt.

The firm has also carved out Life Sciences and Insurance as separate industry verticals with separate profit-and-loss account. According to company sources, senior vice-president Manish Tandon will head the Life Sciences vertical, while senior vice-president Ravi Kumar, who was earlier heading the consulting and system integration business at the Manufacturing industry group, will head the insurance vertical.

“The purpose of this is to bring in more focus in these areas. We want to make sure that the knowledge and benefits of the global industry verticals to flow into these countries and that will be taken care of at the ground level,” said Shibulal.

Meanwhile, Prasad Thrikutam, who heads the Energy, Utilities, Communications and Services (ECS) industry group at Infosys, has taken up the additional responsibility as Head of Americas — a position which till last month was handled by Ashok Vemuri who left to join iGate.