Corp affairs within India Inc are open secrets

In India's corporate landscape, internal affairs remain a closely guarded secret. At a prominent IT firm, the relationship between the CEO and a younger colleague has sparked considerable buzz. Colleagues observed the pair arriving and departing together, with the chief executive staying late on occasion. This led to preferential treatment, acknowledgments, and even promotions out of turn.

A counseling session with the human resources chief was deemed insufficient, only for the woman to be reassigned, effectively ending the direct reporting relationship.

The controversy surrounding Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang's extramarital affairs has highlighted the blurred lines between personal life and organizational responsibility. This issue is far from unique to India Inc. Corporate affairs, especially those involving senior executives, often remain an industry-wide open secret. However, the response from organizations varies, particularly when powerful individuals are involved.

The common strategy is containment, which can take the form of a discreet transfer, counseling, a negotiated exit, or a complete oversight.

A CHRO who has encountered such situations revealed that most of the time, these matters are kept under wraps. Financial settlements or payouts are sometimes offered, and the individual is quietly moved out. Investigations are rarely pursued unless someone steps forward with a complaint. In another instance, a CSR head at a large conglomerate found emotional support from a senior colleague amidst a marital turmoil.

This support eventually blossomed into an unofficial relationship, which continues to this day. The senior executive granted the CSR head considerable professional liberties, even bypassing established procedures in some cases.

While colleagues are aware of the situation, the conglomerate's CHRO stated that there is little they can do since their departments operate independently.