5 Things to Know About Salil Parekh as He Steps Down as Infosys CEO

Nearly after nine years at Infosys, Salil Parekh will step down as Chief Executive Officer and Managing Director on March 31, 2027, marking the end of his second five-year term. Having joined the company in January 2018, Parekh played an important role in restoring stability, accelerating digital transformation, and positioning Infosys as a global leader in AI-led technology services. As the company prepares for its next phase of growth under incoming CEO Ashiss Kumar Dash, here’s a look at Parekh’s leadership journey. 

1. Stepping Down

Salil Parekh will step down as Chief Executive Officer and Managing Director of Infosys in March next year after completing his second five-year term. Having joined the company in January 2018, he will complete nearly nine years at the helm, making him one of Infosys’ longest-serving CEOs. The company said his departure is part of its planned leadership succession, with Ashiss Kumar Dash set to take over subject to approvals. 

Salil Parekh, Chief Executive Officer and Managing Director of Infosys, said, “It has been an honour for me to be the custodian of such a prestigious company, to partner with the leading companies of the world as clients, and to collaborate with an incredible team. We have established Infosys as a leader in digital transformation and have put in place a distinctive strategy for AI transformation.” 

2. Achievements

During Parekh’s tenure, Infosys more than doubled its annual revenue to over USD 20 billion, secured over USD 100 billion in large deal wins, and significantly expanded its cloud, digital transformation, and enterprise AI capabilities. He is widely credited with restoring stability after a turbulent leadership phase and positioning Infosys among the world’s leading AI-driven IT services firms.

3. Career
   

Before joining Infosys, Parekh spent 25 years at Capgemini, where he served as a member of the Group Executive Board. He became known for leading large-scale business transformations, driving the company’s North America turnaround strategy, expanding cloud and infrastructure services, and building its global offshoring capabilities. Earlier, he was also a Partner at Ernst & Young, where he helped scale the firm’s consulting business in India.

4. Education

Born on June 5, 1964, Salil Parekh earned a B.Tech. in Aeronautical Engineering from Indian Institute of Technology Bombay before pursuing Master of Engineering degrees in Computer Science and Mechanical Engineering from Cornell University. His combination of engineering and computer science education laid the foundation for a career spanning more than three decades in global technology consulting.

5. Leadership

Parekh built his reputation through steady execution rather than public visibility. His leadership style has been defined by customer relationships, operational discipline, digital transformation, and long-term strategy. During his tenure, he earned multiple industry recognitions, including Fortune India’s Best IT CEO, Business Standard CEO of the Year, and Forbes India Best CEO awards, reflecting his impact on both Infosys and the broader IT industry.