Changes in Wipro global media biz after Ayan Mukerji quits

COO Neemuchwala will get more businesses reporting to him

Wipro has restructured its global media and telecommunications unit after Ayan Mukerji, who headed the nearly $1 billion business, quit the software services major.

Wipro did not share the reason for the exit of Mukerji, a company veteran for nearly three decades who also headed the high-margin product engineering services business.

Wipro has carved out the communication services providers’ business, among the largest verticals with customers such as British Telecom and Bharti Airtel, into a separate strategic business unit, to be headed by Anil Jain. Jain, a senior vice-president, will report to Abidali Neemuchwala, president and chief operating officer.

The restructuring also provides a bigger operational role to Neemuchwala, who joined Wipro in March from larger rival Tata Consultancy Services. Neemuchwala will have the product engineering services business, which is growing in the double digits in the last few quarters working for customers such as Boeing, reporting to him. Mukerji, who quit the company, reported to TK Kurien, chief executive of Wipro.

“I am driving simplification across the organisation, which to me is a journey.The other things are driving change, responding to customers faster, and talent transformation. There are multiple structures in the firm. As you become big, velocity suffers,” said Neemuchwala in an August 19 interview.

The media vertical has been merged into the retail, consumer goods, transportation and government (RCTG) business unit headed by Srini Palla. The network equipment providers’ (NEP) vertical that works with customers such as Cisco has been merged into the manufacturing and hi-tech business headed by NS Bala, according to a Wipro statement.

"After a sterling career of over 28 years with Wipro, Ayan Mukerji, chief executive of Wipro's media and telecom strategic business Unit and product engineering services has decided to pursue a career outside of the company," Wipro said in a statement. Mukherji was not reachable for comment.