Gopalakrishnan bids farewell to Infosys

Kris Gopalakrishnan, the last among its founders to leave Infosys, was today given a farewell at the company headquarters where co-founder N R Narayana Murthy said he had no regrets about his controversial second come back.
"I have no regrets at all. Life is about doing certain things and not doing certain things. At the end of the day, it is the sum total of all this.... So I have no regrets," said Murthy flanked by other founders including Nandan Nilekani who had a brief stint in politics and unsuccessfully contested last Lok Sabha elections from Bangalore.
Seven co-founders, led by Murthy, set up the city-based firm in 1981. Murthy had the longest run of about 21 years as CEO before passing the baton to Nandan Nilekani and then Gopalakrishnan and S D Shibulal.

Murthy returned to the over USD 8 billion firm for a second stint as Chairman in June last year after Infosys hit rough waters, falling behind peers like TCS and HCL Technologies. Murthy, who brought his son Rohan along in the second stint, quit in June following a spate of senior executives leaving the company.
He and Gopalakrishnan stepped down as executive chairman and executive vice chairman, respectively, on June 14. They, however, continue on the board till October 10 as non- executive chairman and non-executive vice chairman.
Murthy, who will be designated as Chairman Emeritus from October 11, said listing of Infosys on Nasdaq, the first by an Indian company, was high point of his career.

S Gopalakrishnan, or Kris as he is fondly known, said he is not set out for politics.

"In my case, at least at this point, no political ambitions at all. I don't think I am set out for politics," he said when asked if he too will join politics like his former colleagues Nilekani and V Balakrishnan.
He added that he is looking at pursuing two areas, research and entrepreneurship, in the days ahead.
In August this year, Infosys appointed former SAP board member Vishal Sikka as its CEO and Managing Director.
Sikka is the first outsider (and not part of the co-founder's club) to lead the Bangalore-based firm. He took over from Shibulal.

Talking about the transition, Shibulal said it is like any other transition at any other firm. "This is an organisation with very strong values and beliefs. It believes in speed and innovation and I hope they will continue to be preserved."
"We leave with the satisfaction of taking this company from a market value of Rs 28.5 crores on the day of listing in India in 1993 to Rs 2,00,000 crores today, a return of 6,50,000 per cent over 21 years - a CAGR of 89 per cent," Murthy said.