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Infosys chief executive Vishal Sikka resigns | Infosys chief executive Vishal Sikka resigns |
(about 2 hours later) | |
The chief executive of Infosys, Vishal Sikka, has resigned from his post with an unconventional and lengthy letter blaming personal attacks. | |
In the letter Mr Sikka said the "continuous drumbeat of distractions" contributed to his decision to resign. | |
It follows public criticism of the company and its board by its founders. | |
Infosys is one of India's largest IT services firms. Shares of the firm tumbled 7%. | |
Mr Sikka was appointed in June 2014 and tasked with turning around the struggling business. | |
The firm announced he was resigning as chief executive and managing director with immediate effect, but would stay on as executive vice chairman. | |
Infosys chief operating officer U. B. Pravin Rao will take over as interim chief executive, the firm said. | |
Resignation letter | |
The move follows disagreements between the company and its founders, who were unhappy with various decisions taken by the board. | |
The firm's founders, who still own 12.75% of Infosys, had questioned a pay rise granted to Mr Sikka and the size of severance payouts given to other employees. | |
In his resignation letter, Mr Sikka careens through a wide range of topics - from artificial intelligence, to the Charlottesville tragedy, Brexit and US President Donald Trump - as he explains his decision to step down. | |
He notes constant "distractions" frustrated his efforts to grow the company. | |
Mr Sikka describes being "besieged by false, baseless, malicious and increasingly personal attacks". | |
"This continuous drumbeat of distractions and negativity over the last several months/quarters, inhibits our ability to make positive change and stay focused on value creation," he said. | |
"Allegations that have been repeatedly proven false and baseless by multiple, independent investigations," he wrote. |