C Vijayakumar, Chief Executive Officer and Managing Director of HCLTech, received a total compensation of USD 10.85 million (approximately Rs 94.6 crore) for the financial year ending March 31, 2025, according to the company’s annual report. This makes him the highest-paid CEO among India’s top IT firms, outpacing the heads of larger competitors Tata Consultancy Services (TCS), Infosys, and Wipro.
As per HCLTech’s FY25 annual report, the board has also approved a 71% hike in Vijayakumar’s remuneration, raising his annual package to USD 18.6 million (Rs 154 crore) for the financial year 2025–26. The updated structure will take effect from April 1, 2025, and reflects the board’s recognition of his “successful and long-tenured leadership.”
The CEO’s FY25 remuneration is significantly higher than that of TCS CEO K Krithivasan, who earned Rs 26.52 crore, and Infosys CEO Salil Parekh, who was paid Rs 80.62 crore, based on the companies’ respective financial disclosures. Vijayakumar’s earnings also exceeded those of Wipro CEO Srinivas Pallia (USD 6.2 million or Rs 53.64 crore) and Tech Mahindra CEO Mohit Joshi (Rs 53.9 crore).
Compensation Breakdown
Vijayakumar’s pay package included:
Base salary: USD 1.96 million
Performance-linked bonus: USD 1.73 million
Exercised RSUs (Restricted Stock Units): USD 6.96 million
Benefits and perquisites: USD 0.20 million
The largest component—nearly 64% of the total compensation—came from long-term incentives, highlighting the company’s performance-linked reward philosophy.
Notably, Vijayakumar draws his salary from HCL America Inc., a wholly-owned subsidiary of HCLTech, as he is based in the United States.
A Tenure Marked by Growth
Appointed CEO in 2016, Vijayakumar has been credited with spearheading HCLTech’s global expansion and revenue diversification. Under his leadership, the company’s market capitalisation surged from Rs 1.15 lakh crore in FY16 to Rs 4.32 lakh crore in FY25, representing a 3.8x growth. This outpaces the average 2.5x market cap growth among India’s top five listed IT services firms during the same period, the company stated in its report.
The board’s decision to revise his compensation aligns with this trajectory. “The revised compensation acknowledges C Vijayakumar’s significant contributions to the company’s growth and sustained performance over the years,” the company noted in the filing.
Despite a drop in profits, HCLTech remains optimistic about its future outlook. The company reported a 9.7% decline in consolidated net profit to Rs 3,843 crore for the quarter ending June 2025, impacted by increased expenses and a one-time charge linked to a client bankruptcy. However, HCLTech raised the lower end of its full-year revenue growth forecast to 3–5%, up from its earlier 2–5% projection, citing strong deal pipelines.
Shares of HCLTech closed 0.98% lower at Rs 1,452.95 on the Bombay Stock Exchange (BSE) on Friday following the earnings announcement.