A fierce battle for talent is brewing among top Indian IT firms, with Infosys accusing Cognizant of employing unethical tactics to attract senior leaders. This follows a similar lawsuit filed by Wipro against two former executives who joined Cognizant.
Multiple sources confirmed that Infosys sent a written communication to Cognizant after several senior executives departed for the rival firm. While non-compete clauses are rarely enforced in India, this communication is seen as a strong warning.
Cognizant, led by former Infosys veteran Ravi Kumar, has aggressively recruited senior leadership in recent months. Over two dozen executive and senior vice presidents, many from Infosys and Wipro, have joined the company since January 2023.
Wipro has taken a more legal approach, filing suits against two former executives, Mohd Haque and Jatin Dalal, who recently joined Cognizant. Prominent Infosys figures lured by Cognizant include Anurag Vardhan Sinha, Nageswar Cherukupalli, Narsimha Rao Mannepalli, and Shweta Arora.
While Sinha and Cherukupalli have already joined Cognizant, Mannepalli and Arora’s potential appointments as head of delivery and consulting are reportedly on hold following Infosys’ intervention.
Both Infosys and Wipro are currently navigating a challenging business climate, with talent retention playing a critical role in their future success. The escalating war for talent among these IT giants is likely to shape the industry landscape in the coming months, raising questions about ethical recruitment practices and the effectiveness of non-compete agreements in a dynamic market.
Infosys has seen around eight leadership departures in the past year, while Wipro has lost nearly ten top executives in 2023, many of whom joined competitors.
This intense poaching war highlights the immense pressure faced by Indian IT firms to retain and attract top talent in a competitive market.
