Wipro’s top leadership compensation is making headlines as the IT major’s annual report revealed a substantial rise in salaries following a profitable year. According to the company’s Form 20-F filing with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission, Srinivas Pallia, who assumed the role of Chief Executive Officer and Managing Director on 7 April 2024, earned a total compensation of $6.2 million (approximately ₹53.64 crore) in the fiscal year ending 31 March 2025 (FY25).

In contrast, Executive Chairman Rishad Premji, despite more than doubling his pay to $1.6 million (around ₹13.7 crore) from the previous year, still earned significantly less than Pallia. This difference comes amid an 18.9% year-on-year rise in Wipro’s consolidated net profit, which hit ₹13,135.4 crore in FY25.

In FY24, Premji took home $769,456 (about ₹6.4 crore) after voluntarily taking a 20% pay cut. He also waived his commission that year, as Wipro’s incremental net profit had been negative. However, the tide turned in FY25 with the company bouncing back financially.

Thanks to the profit growth, both Premji and Pallia were entitled to a 0.35% commission on incremental consolidated net profits, per the company’s compensation policy. This helped push Premji’s package beyond the $1 million mark again, though still well below his pre-2023 levels.

Meanwhile, Pallia’s first year as CEO reflects a reward structure tuned to performance and future commitment. His remuneration breaks down as follows:

• $1.7 million in salary and allowances,
  
  

• $1.7 million as commission and variable pay,
  
  

• $2.8 million classified under ‘others’,
  
  

• $68,850 as long-term compensation.
  
  

He was also granted 1,677,202 stock options, which come with varying lock-in periods, reflecting the company’s confidence in his long-term leadership. Premji, in comparison, did not receive any stock options in FY25.

It’s worth noting that Pallia’s $6.2 million compensation is substantially lower than the $20 million (₹168 crore approx.) received by former CEO Thierry Delaporte in FY24. Delaporte’s compensation package was one of the most talked-about in the Indian IT sector, with heavy incentives linked to Wipro’s performance and transformation initiatives during his tenure.

With a more domestically focused leadership now at the helm, the compensation structure appears to have shifted towards a more balanced and sustainable model, while still remaining attractive for top-tier talent.

The significant growth in profits, coupled with structured and performance-linked pay, indicates that Wipro is realigning leadership goals with shareholder expectations. The transition from Delaporte to Pallia marks a notable evolution in strategy, with a stronger emphasis on building long-term value, modernising operations, and focusing on AI-driven innovation.

Under Pallia’s leadership, Wipro has sharpened its focus on emerging technologies, AI transformation, and employee experience, aiming to sustain the momentum built in FY25.