Appirio CEO Chris Barbin to takeover as Global Culture Officer at Wipro

My job as GCO is to make sure our worker experience is just as ahead of the curve and a role model for our clients, Barbin said

More than a year after its acquisition by Wipro, Appirio's founding CEO Chris Barbin would be stepping down to take on a new broader role as Global Culture Officer of the parent company.

"Earlier this week we (Appirio) announced to our global teams and Appirio customers that I would soon be stepping down as CEO to take on a new broader role as Wipro's Global Culture Officer (GCO)," Barbin wrote in his blogpost yesterday.

He said as Wipro's GCO, he will be working with the company's executive team, its Board of Directors, and a small, dedicated team of change agents to evolve and advance the worker experience at Wipro.

"My job as GCO is to make sure our worker experience is just as ahead of the curve and a role model for our clients," he added.

However, Barbin made it clear that this position is neither another 'digital transformation' initiative nor about modernising technology or systems.

It is also not "just an HR thing" focused on what new incentives or training programs the company can put in place, but it is more about how to empower its people and teams across the world to move faster, Barbin said.

Barbin believes the company can create a worker experience and strategic culture that could set Wipro as a benchmark for other large, established companies who are quietly wondering whether or not it is possible to shift culture at scale.

"There are few companies that have proactively evolved their culture and ways of working to continue their leadership, and I can't wait for Wipro to be on that list," he said.

Filling his shoes starting April 1 at Appirio's Indianapolis headquarters will be Erik Duffield, currently Appirio's global general manager of CRM.

Duffield has been with Appirio for five years.

"Erik would be taking the reins as of April 1. He is a 5-year Appirio veteran who has been leading our global CRM organisation as General Manager."

"He is a proven industry leader, trusted by employees and customers alike, and embodies the same set of values and cultural philosophies that have been a direct contributor to Appirio's success over the years," Barbin said.