Industry Odisha Bureau, Sep 29: The former Bharti Enterprises vice-chairman takes charge after two high-profile board exits. A governance-focused global search picked him from 60 candidates. Coforge says its revenue guidance stays intact.
Coforge is moving from interim leadership to a permanent board chair. The IT services company appoints Akhil Kumar Gupta as chairperson and non-executive independent director. The former Bharti Enterprises vice-chairman will serve a five-year term. The appointment still requires shareholder approval, Coforge said in a regulatory filing. The new chairman arrives after weeks of boardroom disruption.
How the vacancy emerged
The vacancy opened on September 9. Former chairman O P Bhatt resigned that day. An internal audit had found he withheld a board evaluation report. That report gave his own performance category the lowest rating.
The fallout erased more than ₹4,400 crore from Coforge’s market valuation. Its shares fell over 5%. Days later, nomination and remuneration committee (NRC) chairperson D K Singh also resigned. He cited “differences” and “tension” between independent and executive directors.
A search beyond the boardroom
Coforge named Vivek Sharma, a non-executive independent director, as interim chairperson. It then hired Egon Zehnder to run a global executive search. Sharma said the process prioritised governance experience, professional expertise and strategic perspective. The starting list held 60 candidates, according to Sharma. Gupta emerged as the unanimous choice of the NRC and the board, he said.
Governance experience takes priority
Gupta is a chartered accountant with more than 40 years of experience. He chairs 360 ONE WAM Ltd and Bharti Life Insurance Ltd. He also sits on boards including Zepto, Snapdeal, Eutelsat Communications and Lodha Developers. He brings that record to a board rebuilding after two exits.
CEO Sudhir Singh said Gupta helped Bharti Enterprises navigate multiple business shifts.
Leadership meets an AI transition
Singh placed the appointment in a wider strategic context. He said the IT industry is navigating an AI-led era. Coforge, he said, is pivoting towards making AI’s promise real for enterprises. Gupta’s role, however, is board oversight rather than executive management. Day-to-day strategy remains with Coforge’s executive leadership.
Financial guidance stays put
Coforge maintained the board issue was entirely distinct from its financial reporting. It also kept its four-year revenue guidance unchanged. That guidance targets close to USD 5 billion.
From search to stability
Shareholders must still approve Gupta’s appointment. If they do, Coforge will have replaced interim arrangements with a permanent chair. The board now has two tasks. It must restore stability at the top. And it must oversee the company’s push into enterprise AI. For Coforge, the governance reset and the AI push now run in parallel.
