Wipro’s Srini Pallia brings in BPO veteran Kang; does business realignment

Wipro’s Srini Pallia brings in BPO veteran Kang; does business realignment

IT services heavyweight makes changes to better serve clients in AI heavy era

Srini Pallia and Jasjit Singh Kang

MUMBAI: In a bold corporate shuffle aimed at spicing up its business offerings, Wipro has appointed industry veteran Jasjit Singh Kang as managing partner & global head of its business process services  (BPS) division, effective 1 April.

The appointment, which adds another heavyweight to chief executive and managing director Srini Pallia's inner circle, comes as part of a larger organisational makeover designed to seduce clients with more integrated, AI-powered solutions. Kang will report directly to Pallia and join Wipro's exclusive executive board in what the company coyly describes as "a new position."

Kang, who cut his teeth in the rough-and-tumble world of banking with stints at Citibank, Bank of America, and ANZ Grindlays, brings over 32 years of technology and business leadership experience to the role. He'll take the reins of Wipro's massive BPS operation, which employs a whopping 84,000 staff globally.

Before being wooed by Wipro, Kang played the field with leadership roles at Alight, Aon India, WNS Global Services, and GE/Genpact. His CV boasts extensive experience in BPO setups, mergers and acquisitions, and technology transformation projects that would make lesser executives blush.

The MBA holder from Central Queensland University also served as chairperson for Nasscom’s global in-house centres for the north India region, cementing his reputation as a player in India's technology services scene.

Meanwhile, Pallia has also taken Wipro through  a management reshuffle which forms part of the company’s broader strategic realignment around four global business lines to cater to client needs better:

* Technology services: Nagendra Bandaru will lead this division, focusing on cloud-enabled and industry-specific technology solutions including digital and industry cloud, cybersecurity, data, analytics, and AI.
* Business process services: The freshly appointed Kang will steer this ship, concentrating on digital operations and business process transformation.
* Consulting services: Under Amit Kumar's stewardship, this division will provide strategic advisory and transformation services to clients thirsting for innovation.
* Engineering: Srikumar Rao will continue to head this division, providing engineering and R&D services.
Meanwhile, Anne-Marie Rowland will maintain her grip on Capco, with no changes planned for this division.
Jo Debecker, who previously led Wipro FullStride Cloud, has decided to pursue opportunities outside the company, marking the only executive departure in this round of reshuffling.

"This evolution of our business lines will enable us to further sharpen our focus towards client needs with consulting-led and AI-powered solutions. This realignment will allow us to serve our
clients better, enabling us to deliver tailored, high-impact transformation" said Pallia, who took over as Wipro's chief last year.

Industry analysts suggest the restructuring comes as tech consultancies worldwide feel the heat from generative AI, which threatens to disrupt traditional outsourcing and consulting models. With clients increasingly demanding integrated, outcome-driven solutions, Wipro's reorganisation aims to position the company as a more agile dance partner in the rapidly evolving tech landscape.