Srinivas Pallia: A month on, Wipro CEO Srinivas Pallia has townhalls, Q&As on checklist

As Srinivas Pallia completed one month as CEO of fourth largest software services firm Wipro, which has been trailing its peers on growth and profitability, he has been travelling across the globe to meet employees and stakeholders. Last week, he did a town hall in London, a geography on the other side of the Atlantic — where he has been focussed till recently as CEO of Americas 1. Pallia was elevated as CEO of Wipro, after Thierry Delaporte‘s sudden exit from the firm 15 months before the expiry of his term. Wipro’s HR head Saurabh Govil emailed employees on Monday that the CEO will interact every quarter with senior employees, as part of quarterly CEO leadership connect, ET has learnt. Govil also mentioned about “quarterly townhalls and Q&A opportunities.”

Organisationally, Pallia has also hand-picked two Wipro veterans as key senior leaders (Malay Joshi, CEO of Americas 1 and Hari Shetty as Chief Strategist and sales excellence officer). Joshi succeeded Pallia as CEO of Americas 1 – the company’s strategic market unit (SMU) that has been outperforming other SMUs for past couple of quarters.

Similarly, the IT major also elevated Hari Shetty as its Chief Strategist and Sales Excellence Officer. Shetty has been with Wipro for 31 years and led the technology platform, products, and gaming business division before the appointment.

While few employees were awed by Pallia’s passion for Wipro even after 32 years at the firm, some analysts believe that the new CEO will not make any radical change in the strategy and organisation and will continue the transformation work that was left by his predecessor Delaporte.

Gaurav Vasu, CEO of UnearthInsight, said, while it is little early to comment on him, there is an uphill task for him. “Externally, the challenges are coming from Gen AI, changing nature of deals and slowing down of BFSI sector, and internally, he has stabilise the leadership churn and groom new leaders.”

Commenting on leadership churn, another analyst who didn’t want to be named, said, “Wipro has never been a top three leader in any vertical except in Energy and Utilities. The IT major has seen many leadership including four to five CEOs change over last many years. Vertical leadership is essential to build verticals big. Sticky relationship with clients also comes vertical leadership.”During the Q4 earnings call, Pallia said, “We have made bold moves in M&A, acquiring companies like Capco and Rizing which have boosted our consulting capabilities and we have simplified our operating model. The building blocks are firmly in place, and I am committed to expanding on this even more.”

Laying out his to-do five points, Pallia said – “Accelerate large deal momentum, while working closely with clients and partners; strengthen relationship with large clients and partners and further invest in accounts that has the potential to grow into large accounts; focus on industry specific profits and business commissions led by consulting and infused AI; continue to build talent and skills which is AI ready and able to deliver industry specific business solutions and lastly continue to simplify company’s operating model and focus on execution rigour with speed.”