NASSCOM Executive Council elects Keshav Murugesh as Vice-Chairman
New Delhi : National Association of Software and Services Companies (NASSCOM) today announced the appointment of Mr. Rishad Premji, Chief Strategy Officer and Member of the Board, Wipro Ltd., as its Chairman for 2018-19. Rishad has been a member of NASSCOM’s Executive Council and was the Vice Chairman for 2017-18. He succeeds Mr. Raman Roy, Chairman and Managing Director, Quatrro Global Services, who served as Chairman of NASSCOM for the year 2017-18. NASSCOM also announced the appointment of Mr. Keshav Murugesh as the Vice Chairman of NASSCOM for 2018-19.
Speaking on the occasion, Mr. Rishad Premji, Chairman, NASSCOM, said, “I am honoured to have the
vote of confidence of the NASSCOM leadership team as we stand on the cusp of a digital transformation. I look forward to working closely with NASSCOM’s multiple and versatile teams, and continuing our endeavours to foster growth in changing times.”
Sharing her thoughts, Ms. Debjani Ghosh, President, NASSCOM, said, “Rishad is an experienced
leader whose accomplishments speak for themselves. With his unique exposure and new age energy,
he is uniquely qualified to help lead the industry in a time of change and opportunity. I am confident
that this development will benefit not only our organization but the industry as a whole.” Mr. Raman Roy, Past Chairman, NASSCOM said, “I have been fortunate to have had the experience of working with NASSCOM and contribute to aligning the industry focus with changing global dynamics. It was a great opportunity for me to help chart the course of the industry in the new world order, and I will always cherish it. I wish Rishad and Keshav all the very best in their endeavours and am confident that the future of the industry is in safe hands.”
Chairman Mr. Rishad Premji along with Vice Chairman Mr. Keshav Murugesh and President Ms. Debjani Ghosh, will lead NASSCOM to carry out its diverse array of priorities to achieve the 2025 vision for the industry. In line with the changing industry landscape, the key priorities will be to re-align and re-calibrate the course of the technology industry, evangelize open innovation across the board, and
enable companies to add value across the spectrum for customers globally. The leadership team will
also continue to work towards the skilling and re-skilling of talent as an imperative for the industry.
Another focus area will be the global free movement of talent, to proactively dispel the myths about
immigration and further embrace new and emerging markets, to help the industry foray into newer
geographies and domains.
About Rishad Premji :
Rishad Premji is the Chief Strategy Officer & Member of the Board, Wipro Ltd. As the Chief Strategy
Officer, he leads Wipro’s M&A Strategy and conceptualized Wipro Ventures – a $100M fund to invest
in start-ups developing technologies and solutions that will complement Wipro’s businesses with nextgeneration services and products. In his role, he also leads the Investor Relations & Corporate Affairs functions for the company.
Since joining Wipro in 2007, he has been instrumental in shaping Wipro’s strategy and aligning it with
the future business landscape. Prior to joining Wipro, Rishad was with Bain & Company in London,
working on assignments across Consumer Products, Automobiles, Telecom and Insurance. He also
worked with GE Capital in the US across several businesses throughout the Insurance and Consumer
Lending space and is a graduate of GE’s Financial Management Program (FMP).
Rishad has an MBA from Harvard Business School and a BA in Economics from Wesleyan University in
the US. He has also spent a year at the London School of Economics where he was part of the General
Course Program. In 2014, he was recognized as a Young Global Leader by the World Economic Forum
for his outstanding leadership, professional accomplishments, and commitment to society.
About Keshav Murugesh :
Keshav Murugesh serves as the Group Chief Executive Officer and Member of the Board of Directors
of WNS Global Services. Based in Mumbai, Keshav is responsible for executing the business strategy
and directing the overall performance and growth of the organization.
Prior to joining WNS, he has held several leadership positions in global companies, including President
and CEO, Syntel Inc. and ITC Ltd. (an affiliate of BAT Plc). He is also a Member on the Board of WNS
Cares Foundation that focuses on community-related projects, especially education for lesserprivileged
children in WNS locations globally. He was the founder Chairman of Students in Free Enterprise (SIFE) India, now known as Enactus, a global organization involved in educational outreach
projects in partnership with businesses.
Earlier, he chaired the NASSCOM BPM Council for two consecutive terms. During his tenure as the
Chairman, Keshav introduced the first-ever Cyber Crime educational series for the Mumbai Police
through WNS and NASSCOM. Keshav is a Fellow of The Institute of Chartered Accountants of India and
is a recipient of the prestigious Chartered Accountants Achiever award 2013. He was honoured as ‘the
Outstanding CEO’ at the Asia Pacific Entrepreneurship Awards 2015.
