New HCL Info MD to enhance e-commerce, tune go-to-mkt strategy

HCL Infosystems' Premkumar Seshadri, who will replace Harshavardhan Madhav Chitale as MD from next year, is looking to augment the over Rs 7,000-crore IT hardware maker's go-to-market strategy in distribution business and enhance e-commerce presence.
Chitale has resigned from the company and will remain with the company till this month-end. Seshadri, who is currently Director and Executive Vice-Chairman, has been appointed Managing Director effective from January 1, 2015.
"Reform at organisation is ongoing process. Harsh has contributed well to the business which we will take forward. We are internally looking at setting some benchmark for growth, augmenting our go-to-market strategy," Seshadri told PTI.

Earlier in September, 2014 HCL Infosystems had appointed Premkumar Seshadri as the Executive Vice-Chairman. Prior to returning to HCL, Seshadri was the Group CEO of Apollo Hospitals Enterprise Ltd.
"The next phase of growth for the company has been planned around a journey that will achieve Gold Standards across people, financial and customer metrices and thereby drive continuous excellence," Seshadri said.
He said that company has presence in e-commerce business and going forward it will "enhance its penetration" in online channel business.

HCL Infosystems has been seeing losses mainly due to its distribution business. In quarter ended September 2014, the company posted consolidated net loss of Rs 45.26 crore.

The company posted annual net loss of Rs 214.52 crore for year ended June 2014.
On whether there was any business pressure behind Chitale's resignation, Seshadri said, Chitale decided to take a role outside the company.
Chitale, who joined as MD and CEO of HCL Infosystems in October 2010, had restructured the firm in a way that distribution and services business were separated from each other.
"I have really liked the challenge for the last four years in leading HCL Infosystems through a difficult business environment. It has been a privilege to lead the company through its restructuring and transformation journey where business model changes were completed," Chitale said.

Shares of HCL Infosystems closed at Rs 60.25 apiece, down 7.02 per cent at BSE today.