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Most senior IT executives shift to non-IT
By
Christo Jacob
Bangalore: We cannot direct the wind, but we can adjust the sail. Now after reaching the topmost level in MNCs, most of the senior executives in the IT industry are loosing their focus and are adjusting their sail to pursue their career in non-IT industry.
The move is due to the present scenario in the IT industry, which is demotivating and stagnant for the senior level management, finds a Careernet Consulting survey. Also for these executives, the other industries are making attractive promises as they are also facing a leadership crunch.
Mphasis founder and Chairman, Jerry Rao is one among such executives who made a move to a non-IT sector. He joined New Enterprise Associates (India) as Venture Advisors in February 2008. Sudhir Sethi, Founder, Chairman and Managing Director, IDG Ventures India, and Vivek Paul, Partner at the Texas Pacific Group too decided to quit Wipro later in their career. Sethi has spent twelve years as a senior executive at Wipro and Paul was Vice Chairman of Wipro and CEO of its global information technology, product engineering, and business process services segments.
Perot Systems President and Managing Director Padma Ravichander too had opted to lead the India operations of Mercer's human resource consultancy. Illinois-based Hewitt Associates hired Vishal Pandit to head its South Asia and Middle East operations. Pandit is new to HR consulting, looking after consumer finance at GE Money India, a subsidiary of U.S.' General Electric, before joining his new position.
The hiring of generalists is a reflection of how some companies are coping with a talent crunch at leadership roles in a business. With global ambitions flying thick and fast, some of the best companies in the world, including Indian firms are investing serious resources to create a pool of global leaders. These leaders, who already hold key positions, are being groomed to take up top-level responsibilities across geographies. Envisioning the trend Mahindra & Mahindra (M&M), Infosys, Satyam, Schneider Electric, Calyon and UTi, are some of the companies who have adopted such an initiative to retain the leaders and stop them to scout switching their career.
The move is due to the present scenario in the IT industry, which is demotivating and stagnant for the senior level management, finds a Careernet Consulting survey. Also for these executives, the other industries are making attractive promises as they are also facing a leadership crunch.
Mphasis founder and Chairman, Jerry Rao is one among such executives who made a move to a non-IT sector. He joined New Enterprise Associates (India) as Venture Advisors in February 2008. Sudhir Sethi, Founder, Chairman and Managing Director, IDG Ventures India, and Vivek Paul, Partner at the Texas Pacific Group too decided to quit Wipro later in their career. Sethi has spent twelve years as a senior executive at Wipro and Paul was Vice Chairman of Wipro and CEO of its global information technology, product engineering, and business process services segments.
Perot Systems President and Managing Director Padma Ravichander too had opted to lead the India operations of Mercer's human resource consultancy. Illinois-based Hewitt Associates hired Vishal Pandit to head its South Asia and Middle East operations. Pandit is new to HR consulting, looking after consumer finance at GE Money India, a subsidiary of U.S.' General Electric, before joining his new position.
The hiring of generalists is a reflection of how some companies are coping with a talent crunch at leadership roles in a business. With global ambitions flying thick and fast, some of the best companies in the world, including Indian firms are investing serious resources to create a pool of global leaders. These leaders, who already hold key positions, are being groomed to take up top-level responsibilities across geographies. Envisioning the trend Mahindra & Mahindra (M&M), Infosys, Satyam, Schneider Electric, Calyon and UTi, are some of the companies who have adopted such an initiative to retain the leaders and stop them to scout switching their career.
Reader's comments(20)
1
Its natural that @ some point of time, be it me or u will always look for a
change and to go for new experiences and challenges. These guys have already
proved their mettle beyond doubts and the urge may be prompting them to go and
conquer new horizons... after all its just that Yeh dil mange more..
change and to go for new experiences and challenges. These guys have already
proved their mettle beyond doubts and the urge may be prompting them to go and
conquer new horizons... after all its just that Yeh dil mange more..
Posted by:
Ragesh T
2
At least at the end peoples will realised that every field should get the same
preference.why i commented like this do u know that since 4 years how iam
struggling for the job and how the peoples will talk about other than IT people
is the issue. i hope u can understand my pain. any way peoples will realise
slowly.let them realise it as soon as possible.
preference.why i commented like this do u know that since 4 years how iam
struggling for the job and how the peoples will talk about other than IT people
is the issue. i hope u can understand my pain. any way peoples will realise
slowly.let them realise it as soon as possible.
Posted by:
reddy
3
IT industry has definitely come to a sort of stagnancy. Companies particularly
Service comapnies are recklessly recruiting people with the hope of getting new
projects and once things don't fall into place they are straightway laying off
the hires. Apart from this the industry is slowly going to a phase where
quantity would matter more than quality, that's why companies like TCS believes
that the need less experienced people than experienced one and the reason for
that is as simple as cutting the cost. But I believe this a trade off between
cost and quality. If things like these keep on going people who are gathering
expertise would be soon into trouble even if having much more competency than
people who costs a little less to the company. However the scenario is not the
same in product comapnies but due to great pressure these days they have started
to adapt similar sort of strategies. So the bottom line is that this is not a
very good sign that high profile people in the IT industry are moving towards
non IT which show a clear down fall of opportunities for the senior people in
the industry nothing else.
Service comapnies are recklessly recruiting people with the hope of getting new
projects and once things don't fall into place they are straightway laying off
the hires. Apart from this the industry is slowly going to a phase where
quantity would matter more than quality, that's why companies like TCS believes
that the need less experienced people than experienced one and the reason for
that is as simple as cutting the cost. But I believe this a trade off between
cost and quality. If things like these keep on going people who are gathering
expertise would be soon into trouble even if having much more competency than
people who costs a little less to the company. However the scenario is not the
same in product comapnies but due to great pressure these days they have started
to adapt similar sort of strategies. So the bottom line is that this is not a
very good sign that high profile people in the IT industry are moving towards
non IT which show a clear down fall of opportunities for the senior people in
the industry nothing else.
Posted by:
Vivek
4
All these are Passing clouds! We all know that, while entering to 2000 we had a
slept down, but later the industry developed like any thing... And also top
professionals are always will be very keen to learn new technology...
slept down, but later the industry developed like any thing... And also top
professionals are always will be very keen to learn new technology...
Posted by:
Aravind D
5
After all, the movement happening in all small & bigger IT companies has its own
pain. We do project work for foreign countries, now the movements happen mainly
because of getting less projects in cosmo & metro cities. Other smaller towns
are attracting better business because of lesser cost. We don't understand that
we are charging less comparing to earlier projects that's why all the recent
relocation issues started. People started thinking to stick with secured job &
the final result is moving to non-IT jobs.
The loosers are more now. Please don't blame for all IT professionals. Most of
them are really talented but now going for lesser payment. It is a shame that we
used to belong to mnc's & now telling that we are loosing.
Finally, welcome the domestic jobs. Respect our own business people.
pain. We do project work for foreign countries, now the movements happen mainly
because of getting less projects in cosmo & metro cities. Other smaller towns
are attracting better business because of lesser cost. We don't understand that
we are charging less comparing to earlier projects that's why all the recent
relocation issues started. People started thinking to stick with secured job &
the final result is moving to non-IT jobs.
The loosers are more now. Please don't blame for all IT professionals. Most of
them are really talented but now going for lesser payment. It is a shame that we
used to belong to mnc's & now telling that we are loosing.
Finally, welcome the domestic jobs. Respect our own business people.
Posted by:
geetha
6
why would any company keep someone at a senior excecutive level paying big
bucks, when it is finding very juniors capable of doing the same wotk for lower
package? I read in some magazine that in IT retirement age is going to be around
45. When one retires at say 45 in IT, where else he/she can go? Non IT only....
right?
bucks, when it is finding very juniors capable of doing the same wotk for lower
package? I read in some magazine that in IT retirement age is going to be around
45. When one retires at say 45 in IT, where else he/she can go? Non IT only....
right?
Posted by:
Nagaraj
7
IT by itself is a very nascent, evolving Industry. What we are seeing is the
post-growth phase when the early birds who have made it big have started
realising that they cannot expect similar growth in the future. Another factor
could be that most of them could have worked in the top companies and now have
nowhere to go.
Better late than never - to start doing what you are really passionate about.
post-growth phase when the early birds who have made it big have started
realising that they cannot expect similar growth in the future. Another factor
could be that most of them could have worked in the top companies and now have
nowhere to go.
Better late than never - to start doing what you are really passionate about.
Posted by:
Bharath Reddy
8
What we have seen in the IT is a sudden outburst like a Valcano. The industry
has boomed in terms of oppurtunities, but at the same time has killed many a
industry which was working more on conventional steady growth. Today even an
average/below average person thinks in terms of getting good package when more
deserving people are finding it more difficult to find a suitable package in
other industries. Having done the required damage in IT and nowhere to go at an
Young age, the so called IT bosses are changing gears now probably to do the
unfinished work. I only hope and pray that they will change their attitudes and
take more suitable candidates rather than the one who takes people along with
them where they go or like managers who are just ""YES BOSS". Being a senior
executive myself i only feel pity for companies who work on short term logics
and not with far sighted vision. Anyway only GOD CAN SAVE THIS COUNTRY.
has boomed in terms of oppurtunities, but at the same time has killed many a
industry which was working more on conventional steady growth. Today even an
average/below average person thinks in terms of getting good package when more
deserving people are finding it more difficult to find a suitable package in
other industries. Having done the required damage in IT and nowhere to go at an
Young age, the so called IT bosses are changing gears now probably to do the
unfinished work. I only hope and pray that they will change their attitudes and
take more suitable candidates rather than the one who takes people along with
them where they go or like managers who are just ""YES BOSS". Being a senior
executive myself i only feel pity for companies who work on short term logics
and not with far sighted vision. Anyway only GOD CAN SAVE THIS COUNTRY.
Posted by:
Sreekanth
9
This is no doubt a vital decision taken by IT top executives. As per my
knowledge is concern this slow down will not continue for a long time. As we
know and see the ups and downs of market it is volatile in nature. and if we
say by 2012 indian It companies wont get any project then it would be a markable
comments as because day by day new Ideas ,new features are required to enhance
the business process so definitely this sector will get benifits. Every one is
looking to stream line their business process and to adopt new ideas. so as per
my view this slow down is for some time. Again Indian IT sector will grow and
touch its height.
knowledge is concern this slow down will not continue for a long time. As we
know and see the ups and downs of market it is volatile in nature. and if we
say by 2012 indian It companies wont get any project then it would be a markable
comments as because day by day new Ideas ,new features are required to enhance
the business process so definitely this sector will get benifits. Every one is
looking to stream line their business process and to adopt new ideas. so as per
my view this slow down is for some time. Again Indian IT sector will grow and
touch its height.
Posted by:
Debasis
10
IT Sales Proffessionals are Hard Trained to Handle Crisis and may be in demand
by other Industry Segments as it would be much easier to handle a dealer their
instead an IT Reseller or Consumer.
by other Industry Segments as it would be much easier to handle a dealer their
instead an IT Reseller or Consumer.
Posted by:
Sarvesh Basutkar
11
What i feel that.ups and Downs are always their in Business.but a successfull
entrepreneur is one who always pass from one failure to another failure without
loosing enthusiasm.The success of the company depends upon the success of
people....a company should always have emphathy towards employees rather than
symphathy... too much utensils make sound so as too much hierarchy results in
same.Best Wishes to all the budding Entrepreneurs ...Climb high Climb far you
goal the sky you aim the star.Cheers...Ms Kawaljit
Bangalore-Kawal_sarin@yahoo.co.in
entrepreneur is one who always pass from one failure to another failure without
loosing enthusiasm.The success of the company depends upon the success of
people....a company should always have emphathy towards employees rather than
symphathy... too much utensils make sound so as too much hierarchy results in
same.Best Wishes to all the budding Entrepreneurs ...Climb high Climb far you
goal the sky you aim the star.Cheers...Ms Kawaljit
Bangalore-Kawal_sarin@yahoo.co.in
Posted by:
Kawaljit Sarin
12
Would like to consider it as a resonable move, since the IT industry being one
of the most volatile industries after finance, gives a person the hunger to
achieve more that the IT domain, One can capitalise ob the Business logic
developed in the IT Industry( services ) since its been around for nearly 20
years and people have grown with it, being an IT professional for nearly 13
years i am quite up for taking up a business devepopment role.
of the most volatile industries after finance, gives a person the hunger to
achieve more that the IT domain, One can capitalise ob the Business logic
developed in the IT Industry( services ) since its been around for nearly 20
years and people have grown with it, being an IT professional for nearly 13
years i am quite up for taking up a business devepopment role.
Posted by:
Rajaneesh
13
I know one the CEO she moved to HR service company was not because of
oppurtunity.The CEO is expected to deliver result if not ,fired in IT industry.
They are like any IT engineers "cherish or perish " if engineers in the bench
they will be out, if the CEO does not perform same the story. They are even
valunarable as the referfece goes strongly in the market.
oppurtunity.The CEO is expected to deliver result if not ,fired in IT industry.
They are like any IT engineers "cherish or perish " if engineers in the bench
they will be out, if the CEO does not perform same the story. They are even
valunarable as the referfece goes strongly in the market.
Posted by:
Dinesh
14
May be this move is their personal decision and it is being interpreted as ditch
to the IT sector. But if this is the ditch then they are really passing wrong
message to their juniors and the newcomers to the industry. This can divert them
to the Non-IT sector. But media has a great role to play in the scenario i.e. to
put the right IMAGE of the IT sector and growth opportunities in it. No doubt
IT is to grow ! If people say the growth and the advances in IT are enough then
they have not at all understood what IT is. Many people say India is loosing the
cost advantage, have they thought about the unemployed and the reason behind
it? Have they thought about the reaming 80% people not working in IT? What are
they doing and can they be utilized for IT? Definitely people talking this
haven't thought on this. And I will like to request so called wellwishers of IT
to see in to matter come with the solution make everything paperless...!
to the IT sector. But if this is the ditch then they are really passing wrong
message to their juniors and the newcomers to the industry. This can divert them
to the Non-IT sector. But media has a great role to play in the scenario i.e. to
put the right IMAGE of the IT sector and growth opportunities in it. No doubt
IT is to grow ! If people say the growth and the advances in IT are enough then
they have not at all understood what IT is. Many people say India is loosing the
cost advantage, have they thought about the unemployed and the reason behind
it? Have they thought about the reaming 80% people not working in IT? What are
they doing and can they be utilized for IT? Definitely people talking this
haven't thought on this. And I will like to request so called wellwishers of IT
to see in to matter come with the solution make everything paperless...!
Posted by:
Prakash Pimpale
15
To ratinakta
"as we all know after2012, indian IT firms have very few projects in there hand
so it's a sure shot big prob for every IT persons"
Where did you get this news from? Is this news from reliable sources?
"as we all know after2012, indian IT firms have very few projects in there hand
so it's a sure shot big prob for every IT persons"
Where did you get this news from? Is this news from reliable sources?
Posted by:
Sangamesh Gaded
16
Nothing to conclude from an article which finds handful of IT Leaders moving out
of industry.. A business leader always seeks new dimensions to his career. Why
are we forgeting that back from 1993 to 1995 so many Big Shots moved from
Manufacturing to IT. This is a part n parcel of career in Business leadership...
and, I donn quite agree with the fact that post 2012, there would not be
projects .. Please go through Gartner and AMR Predictions for Industries, do
some analysis before making such a comment...
Remember IT is not a Business Function, its a Business Support Function.. As
long as new technological innovations keep up expectations of business
strategies IT would not only survive but grow.. Innovation is the key to success
here..
of industry.. A business leader always seeks new dimensions to his career. Why
are we forgeting that back from 1993 to 1995 so many Big Shots moved from
Manufacturing to IT. This is a part n parcel of career in Business leadership...
and, I donn quite agree with the fact that post 2012, there would not be
projects .. Please go through Gartner and AMR Predictions for Industries, do
some analysis before making such a comment...
Remember IT is not a Business Function, its a Business Support Function.. As
long as new technological innovations keep up expectations of business
strategies IT would not only survive but grow.. Innovation is the key to success
here..
Posted by:
Abhi
17
@ratikanta,
"as we all know after2012, indian IT firms have very few projects in there hand
so it's a sure shot big prob for every IT persons"
Where did u get this fact?
"as we all know after2012, indian IT firms have very few projects in there hand
so it's a sure shot big prob for every IT persons"
Where did u get this fact?
Posted by:
hiccup
18
My comment also go with ratikanta, because they are think about their future.
Posted by:
Thilakar
19
it's a good decision by them to move to non IT sector. as we all know after2012,
indian IT firms have very few projects in there hand so it's a sure shot big
prob for every IT persons. thats why they r leaving and joining other firms
becaz now they r in good position with hand some salary package, so they r
easily attracted by the non IT sector orgainisation. good move.
indian IT firms have very few projects in there hand so it's a sure shot big
prob for every IT persons. thats why they r leaving and joining other firms
becaz now they r in good position with hand some salary package, so they r
easily attracted by the non IT sector orgainisation. good move.
Posted by:
ratikanta
20
Ofcourse.. every CEO has their own welfare in mind.. so sticking to this
stagnant market is a waste of their potential..
stagnant market is a waste of their potential..
Posted by:
riya
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