Salil Parekh to step down as Infosys CEO in March 2027 after nine-year tenure

Salil Parekh will step down as Chief Executive Officer of Infosys on March 31, 2027, bringing to a close a nine-year tenure that began during one of the most turbulent periods in the company's history. His successor, Ashiss Kumar Dash, will assume the role from April 1, 2027, following a planned leadership transition.

In an interview with Moneycontrol, Parekh reflected on the company's transformation under his leadership, its growing AI business and why he believes Infosys is entering its next phase from a position of strength.

A tenure that restored stability

Parekh joined Infosys in 2018 after the resignation of former CEO Vishal Sikka and governance disputes involving the company's founders and board.

According to Moneycontrol, Nandan Nilekani returned as chairman in 2017 with the immediate objective of restoring stability at Infosys before appointing Parekh to lead the company.

During his tenure, Parekh became the longest-serving non-founder CEO in Infosys' 45-year history.

Reflecting on the company's progress, he said Infosys had delivered strong outcomes across revenue, workforce growth and digital transformation.

Growth milestones under Parekh

According to Parekh, Infosys achieved several milestones during his leadership.

Key highlights include:

• Revenue increased from $10 billion to $20 billion.
• Employee strength grew from around 200,000 to more than 300,000.
• Digital services expanded from around 20% to over 60% of the business.
• AI services increased from about 5% to 8% of revenue, growing at double-digit rates quarter on quarter.
• Infosys secured around $100 billion in large deals over the period.

"We've had a good outcome over the many years," Parekh told Moneycontrol, adding that the company remains well positioned for future growth.

AI remains the next growth engine

Parekh said artificial intelligence represents the next major opportunity for Infosys after its digital transformation journey.

He noted that AI services are already contributing 8% of company revenue, supported by investments in platforms such as Topaz Fabric, which can work with 15 different foundation models.

According to Parekh, enterprises require technology partners capable of combining AI models with deep business and industry expertise rather than relying solely on foundation models.

He also highlighted widespread AI adoption within Infosys, saying around 80,000 employees are already using coding tools while working on client engagements and internal projects.

Macro conditions remain the biggest challenge

While expressing confidence in Infosys' long-term outlook, Parekh acknowledged macroeconomic uncertainty has weighed on technology spending in recent years.

He said clients have remained focused on managing costs, slowing overall demand for IT services.

Growth should improve as macroeconomic conditions stabilise while AI services continue expanding.

He also said Infosys has maintained pricing discipline on large contracts, choosing not to pursue deals where commercial terms did not align with the company's expectations.

Preparing the next generation of leadership

Parekh expressed confidence in Ashiss Kumar Dash, who will begin working alongside him during the transition period before formally taking over as CEO in April 2027.

He described Dash as a strong leader with deep client relationships and extensive experience across Infosys' businesses.

Parekh also credited Nandan Nilekani for shaping his leadership journey, describing the Infosys chairman as a visionary who regularly shared his perspectives on technology and AI.

Why he chose not to seek another term

When asked why he did not pursue a third term, Parekh said he believed the company had reached an appropriate point for leadership transition.

"My sense is we've had really an incredible set of run in the impact that we've created here over the last few years. So, this was, to me, a phenomenal way to complete what I had started out on when I joined," he told Moneycontrol.

For now, he said his focus remains on ensuring a smooth transition over the next three quarters before deciding on his next professional chapter.

Looking back on nearly a decade at the helm, Parekh said he was satisfied with the company's progress.

"I'm really happy. In many ways, I'm leaving Infosys in a better place than I found it. And maybe Infosys is leaving me in a better place than they found me," he said.