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Vishal Sikka resigns, UB Pravin Rao takes over as interim CEO & MD of Infosys

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Vishal Sikka

BANGALORE, INDIA: Infosys CEO and managing director, Vishal Sikka has resigned today with immediate effect, Infosys said in an official statement.

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UB Pravin Rao has been appointed interim CEO and MD reporting to Sikka under the overall supervision and control of the company’s board.

Sikka has been appointed Executive Vice Chairman, and will hold office until the new permanent CEO and MD takes charge, which should be no later than March 31, 2018. He will report to the board and will continue to focus on strategic initiatives, key customer relationships and technology development.

In his notice of resignation to the board, Sikka cited among his reasons for leaving a continuous stream of distractions and disruptions over the recent months and quarters, increasingly personal and negative as of late, as preventing management's ability to accelerate the company's transformation.

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Read also: Is Infosys mulling a buyback offer to instill confidence in the investors? 

The board acknowledged Sikka’s reasons for resignation. A series of careful investigations found no merit to the unsubstantiated and anonymous allegations that had been asserted, said the board and also denounced the critics for promoting false allegations which have harmed employee morale and contributed to the loss of the company’s CEO.

"Vishal has made a seminal contribution to the transformation of Infosys, and he will be remembered for infusing a refreshed sense of direction, purpose and energy in the organization. His vision for the future of the industry and the Company will remain a strong reference point as we chart the future course for Infosys in this new era in our rapidly evolving industry. On behalf of our entire board of directors, I wish him well for the future," said R. Seshasayee, Chairman of the Board.

Under the leadership of Sikka, Infosys launched new programs to drive innovation such as Zero Distance, Design Thinking training, Zero Bench, etc to name a few. Infosys also developed and launched its artificial intelligence platform Nia, and already has more than 160 artificial intelligence scenarios deployed with more than 70 clients.

Ravi Venkatesan, Co-Chairman of the Board, said: "I want to thank Vishal for his commitment to ensure a smooth transition and his commitment to a seamless experience for our clients. Pravin is a veteran Infoscion with deep knowledge of the business, and his long experience in the Company will help ensure a smooth transition."

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