Introduction
Indian IT giant Infosys’ Chief Executive Officer (CEO) and Managing Director (MD) Salil Parekh’s salary rose 21.7% last year to touch ₹80.62 crore, the company’s latest annual report released on Monday showed, as he retained his position as the second-highest paid CEO among India’s top information technology (IT) services companies.
A little more than three-fifths, or ₹49.5 crore, of his compensation came from shares exercised by him in FY25, while ₹23.18 crore came from bonuses, variable pay, and incentives. The remaining ₹7.94 crore was part of his fixed salary. To be sure, the highest-paid IT executive remains HCL Technologies Ltd’s C. Vijayakumar, according to the company’s FY24 annual report. GetMyIndia.com
Who is Salil Parekh?
Salil Parekh has been serving as the Chief Executive Officer and Managing Director of Infosys since his initial appointment on January 2, 2018. He has been an Executive Director on the board for over 7.2 years.
His appointment terms were approved by shareholders through a postal ballot in February 2018 and subsequently amended in June 2019. His reappointment, along with revised remuneration, was approved at the company’s 41st Annual General Meeting held on June 25, 2022. His current term extends until March 31, 2027. He holds 1,185,548 shares in the company, representing 0.03 per cent of its total shareholding.
Median Increase in Salary for Employees
While certain senior employees entered the one crore club, the median increase in salary for employees, including those in the junior and middle levels, was 9.63%. However, this increase was more than last year’s 8.65%. In contrast, TCS increased salaries of its employees up to 7.5% last fiscal, against 9% in FY24. Infosys, with 323,578 employees, has almost half the employees of TCS, which ended last fiscal with 607,979 employees.
The salary hikes at India’s largest IT outsourcers come amid questions on growth because of an uncertain macroeconomic environment and fewer large deals. While Infosys projected its slowest growth for the fiscal year at the start of the year in a decade, TCS reported its slowest growth in four years. TCS won orders worth $39 billion, 7.7% lower than last year, whereas Wipro’s order book was down 4% last year to $14.3 billion. Infosys reported large deals, or those exceeding $50 million in annual revenue, worth $11.6 billion, which was down 34% on a yearly basis. “As we contemplate the developments of the last few months, we know we are in an era of uncertainty that we have never seen before. Multiple trends are colliding and leading us to reexamine the fundamentals of our businesses,” said Nandan Nilekani, chairman of Infosys, as part of his message in the company’s annual report.
Pay Comparison – Infosys vs. Peers
Salil Parekh’s ₹ 80.6 crore pay package now surpasses that of his counterparts at rival firms. TCS CEO and MD K Krithivasan earned ₹ 26.5 crore in FY25—a modest 4.6% increase—while Wipro’s CEO Srinivas Pallia took home $6.2 million (approximately ₹53.6 crore), reflecting a 10% rise.
Infosys FY25 Performance
For the financial year 2024-25, Infosys reported a revenue of $19.28 billion, a slight increase from $18.56 billion in FY24. Despite the revenue growth, the company’s net profit slightly fell to $3.16 billion from $3.17 billion the previous year. Operating profit improved to $4.07 billion from $3.83 billion, and gross profit increased to $5.87 billion. Earnings per share remained stable at $0.76 for both basic and diluted EPS in FY25, slightly down from the basic EPS of $0.77 in FY24.
Focus on AI-Led Transformation
In a letter to shareholders, Parekh emphasized Infosys’ leadership in emerging technologies. “Infosys is the leader in AI, cloud, data, and digital for our clients. Infosys Topaz brings the power of AI, with a strong foundation of cloud and data, to help our clients leverage the next generation of opportunities,” he wrote.
Conclusion
Infosys’ FY25 annual report highlights CEO Salil Parekh’s 21.7% salary hike to ₹80.62 crore, making him the second-highest paid IT executive in India. Despite a challenging macroeconomic environment and reduced large deals, Infosys reported modest revenue growth to $19.28 billion, though net profit slightly declined. Employee salary hikes averaged 9.63%, outpacing peers like TCS and Wipro. While deal volumes fell, Infosys remains focused on AI-led transformation through its Topaz platform. Parekh emphasized the company’s continued leadership in digital, cloud, and AI technologies, positioning Infosys for long-term innovation and resilience in an uncertain global landscape.
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