Bangalore: If history had had its way, SD Shibulal may have never become the CEO and MD of Infosys. Not too many people know that when Infosys was still struggling, Shibulal took a five-year sabbatical and joined Sun Microsystems.
Upon his return in 1996, Narayana Murthy reinstated him at par with the other founders and senior professionals. According to old-timers, it had led to significant bad blood among the founders and professionals, many of them sharply questioning Murthys decision by alluding to the bigger sacrifices that each of them had made by staying put.
Before he steps down from the post on August 20, 2011, Murthy has once again used the leverage he has with the board to ensure that the management reshuffle makes way for Shibulal to be elevated from the post of COO to the new CEO. Just that this time, Shibulal may no longer have the gentle hand of the patriarch on his head. Hell have his best buddy Kris S Gopalakrishnan though, but equally, hell have to contend with the formidable KV Kamath, the first independent chairman in Infosys 30-year-long history.
The Gentle Touch...
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12:31 PM, May 16, 2011
