Coforge appoints Akhil Gupta as independent chairperson for five years

IT services firm Coforge has announced the appointment of former Bharti Enterprises vice-chairman Akhil Kumar Gupta as its new chairperson and non-executive independent director for a period of five years. This comes after a period of boardroom turmoil, including the abrupt resignation of former chairman and veteran banker O P Bhatt on September 9 following an internal audit that revealed Bhatt had withheld a performance evaluation report.

Coforge's interim chairperson, non-executive independent director Vivek Sharma, expressed enthusiasm about Gupta's appointment, stating that the company had conducted a rigorous global search process in partnership with Egon Zehnder to find a candidate with the highest governance experience, professional expertise, and strategic perspectives. Gupta, who has over 40 years of professional experience, was unanimous in his selection by the nomination and remuneration committee and the board.

The appointment of Gupta aims to provide stability and direction for the company as it navigates the AI-led era and pivots towards making the promise of AI real for enterprises. Coforge CEO and Executive Director Sudhir Singh welcomed Gupta's addition to the board, highlighting his instrumental role at Bharti Enterprises during his tenure and the immense opportunities ahead for the company.