The road ahead is going to be fun… what's fun if there are no challenges?: Vishal Sikka

Interview with MD & CEO-designate, Infosys

With what seems child-like excitement and the approach of a student, Vishal Sikka, set to become the next chief executive of Infosys, talks of the way ahead. Edited excerpts:

What drove you to come to Infosys?

The world around us is being reshaped by software, so the opportunity to contribute to that in a very meaningful way is something great. While growing up, Infosys was a real role model to all of us. The opportunity to lead this iconic company is something amazing.

What are the key challenges you see for yourself at Infosys?

The big challenge is to get my hands and feet dirty and understand what is happening at the company. Learning the business will be a key challenge; Infosys is a very large and strong company, with 150,000 colleagues. Getting a sense of that breadth is daunting but also something I’m looking forward to. For now, my focus is on understanding the fabric of the company, learning what is happening all around, and working and talking with clients and employees.

With Infosys facing several challenges, how do you see the road ahead?

I think it is going to be fun and incredibly exciting. What's fun if there are no challenges?

How is it going to work with you based out of California?

It is going to be awesome! I will be here in Bangalore almost once every month. So, one thing I am not looking forward is to the long plane journeys.

You come from an IT products background. How difficult will it be to work with a team focused on services?

The distinction between products and services is rapidly blurring. Even things like printing machines and engines are being delivered as a service. The distinction doesn’t bother me. Infosys also has products business, although much smaller. We will continue to be a services company, that delivers value to customers. To me, the opportunity to work together with our clients and go into new areas, where software is making its way for the very first time, is a very exciting thing.

Can we expect Infosys to come out with a HANA?

HANA is a one and only but why not?

Infosys has seen several senior-level exits in the past 12 months. Are you worried about more?

Absolutely not.

How will your relationship with Narayana Murthy and Rohan Murty play out?

I am looking forward to getting Narayana Murthy's advice. Rohan is an incredible talent. We ran into each other on a long flight and I had a great opportunity to spend a few hours with him. He is an incredibly bright individual. He shared some of the technical work he was looking into and he is an amazing youngster. I think the work he has done here at Infosys so far is incredible. I would love to take Rohan's advice and his dad's but he has decided to leave!

What will be your style of leadership at Infosys?

It is wrong to refer to styles of leadership but I think authenticity and being straightforward, and being a student more than anything else, works out well. Other than that, time will tell how it works.