Management Change Announcement

Coforge Limited announced the appointment of Mr. Akhil Gupta as a Non-Executive Independent Director and as the Chairperson of the company.

Appointment Details

  • Effective Date: September 29, 2026
  • Term: Five years

Professional Background of Akhil Gupta

Mr. Gupta is the former Vice Chairman of Bharti Enterprises and played a pivotal role in Bharti's growth since inception. He currently serves as:

  • Chairman of the Board of Directors of 360 ONE WAM Ltd
  • Chairman of the Board of Directors of Bharti Life Insurance Ltd
  • Board Member of Zepto, Snapdeal, Eutelsat Communications, and Lodha Developers

Qualifications and Achievements

  • Professional Designation: Chartered Accountant
  • Experience: Over 40 years of professional experience
  • Education: Completed Advanced Management Program at Harvard Business School in 2002
  • Awards: EY Entrepreneur of the Year Award, CA Lifetime Achievement Award, CA Global Achiever Award by ICAI, ET Telecom Lifetime Achievement Award, Tele.Net Outstanding Contribution to Infrastructure and Telecom Development Award
  • Publications: Author of management book 'Some Sizes Fit All' published by Penguin Random House

Professional Affiliations

  • President of TSSC (Telecom Sector Skill Council)
  • Ex-Chairman of DIPA (Digital Infrastructure Providers Association)
  • Member of CII National Committee on Telecom & Broadband
  • Member of CII Task Force on Insolvency and Bankruptcy
  • Former member of Advisory Committee on Service Providers of Insolvency and Bankruptcy Board of India
  • Former member of Sub Committee of Insolvency Law Committee, Government of India

Management Commentary

Vivek Sharma, Non-Executive Director and interim Chairperson:

  • Described the search process as "very rigorous and intense global search process"
  • Conducted in partnership with Egon Zehnder
  • Focus on finding candidate with "highest governance experience, professional expertise, and strategic perspectives"
  • Initial list of 60 exceptional candidates was whittled down over time
  • Mr. Gupta emerged as "unanimous choice of all members of the NRC and the Board"
  • Board members worked "across weekends and time zones" to complete the mandate

Sudhir Singh, CEO and Executive Director:

  • Highlighted the appointment timing as "very important time for the industry and the firm"
  • Noted Mr. Gupta was "instrumental in Bharti Enterprises successfully navigating multiple business shifts"
  • Emphasized the industry is "navigating the AI-led era" and Coforge is "pivoting towards making the promise of AI real for enterprises"
  • Welcomed Mr. Gupta's "calibre and governance experience"

Company Description

Coforge describes itself as an AI-native engineering services leader where AI is the foundation of how they design, build, and deliver intelligent solutions for clients. The company uses AI and hyperspecialized industry expertise to engineer autonomous enterprises, combining AI agents with AI-enabled workforce including specialized FDEs in hybrid pod-based delivery units.