iGate hires ex-Infosys honcho Vemuri as CEO

Leading integrated technology firm iGate Thursday appointed former Infosys director Ashok Vemuri as chief executive officer.

Vemuri joins the US-based iGate after quitting the Indian IT bellwether Aug 28 as head of Americas business and nearly five months after iGate fired disgraced Phaneesh Murthy May 21 from the top post on sexual abuse charge.

"Vemuri takes over as president and chief executive from Sep 16 and joins the company's board of directors while interim incumbent Gerhard Watzinger will be an advisory," iGate said in a statement from its headquarters at Fremont in California.

Incidentally, Murthy was also Infosys director and its global sales head in the US before quitting on similar sexual abuse charges over a decade ago.

"After an extensive search process, we selected Ashok, who brings a track record of success at Infosys where he was responsible for driving growth," iGate co-founder Sunil Wadhwani said in the statement.

During his 15-year tenure at Infosys, Vemuri headed its China subsidiary and ran its financial services and insurances business, making it the largest business unit.

"In his role as head of Americas, Vemuri was responsible for Infosys' operations in its largest geographical region, with $4.7 billion in revenues and oversaw all facets of the business ranging from strategic direction to maintaining and improving financial and operational efficiency," Wadhwani said.

Noting that iGate had great market opportunity owing to its successful business outcomes-based model and ability to deliver solutions across vertical markets, Vemuri said he would strive to continue the company's growth strategy, leveraging its unique offerings.

The three-decades-old iGate provides consulting, technology and business process outsourcing (BPO) services besides product and engineering solutions on a business outcomes-based model.

With multi-location operations, including the largest offshore software development centre in Bangalore, the company has a talent pool of 28,000 employees and 300 clients across verticals such as banking and financial services, insurance, healthcare, life sciences, manufacturing, retail, energy and utilities.