Infosys top leaders pacify employees amid rising speculations

After receiving several queries from teams, 2 senior executives write emails imploring employees to disregard rumours of further exits and focus on work

Amid speculations over further top-level exits from Infosys, two of the company's senior executives-- Rajesh Krishnamurthy, head of energy, communications (Global) and services (Europe), and Ravi Kumar S, head of insurance, cards and payments- today sent out emails to their teams stating that they have not resigned from the Bangalore-based company.

While some media reports today claimed that Krishnamurthy and Kumar were on their way out from Infosys, which has seen over 10 top-level exits in the last one year, the two requested their teams "disregard these rumours" and stay focused on clients.

"There are some rumors about my resignation and I thought I will dispel them immediately. This is completely baseless and has been published despite me explicitly telling the reporter in question. Please disregard these rumors," the two wrote in separate emails. "Let us continue to stay focused on our clients, on winning in the marketplace and on delivering on our commitments."

Infosys, which is in the process of finding its next chief executive officer, has undergone massive organisational restructuring ever since the return of its co-founder NR Narayana Murthy as an executive chairman a year ago. In a letter to Infosys' employees last week, Murthy had said the departure of 10 senior executives from the company was in its best interests, and warned about further leadership transition.

Earlier this month, Infosys board member and president BG Srinivas, who was widely considered to be among the frontrunners for the top job, had resigned from the company. According to sources, the resignation could have been triggered after Srinivas failed to emerge as the company's choice for its first non-founding CEO.

According to a source at a leading executive search firm, several senior managers at Infosys are looking out for opportunities and may be on their way out in the coming months.

Analysts also believe that several other senior leaders could resign from the company depending upon who the next CEO is.

"Whether the company gets an external candidate, or elevates an internal one, there will be some heartburn among the top layer and that will lead to further exits," a senior analyst with a domestic brokerage firm said.