Infosys’ Narayana Murthy sounds out Nandan Nilekani,Pai to recreate magic

Less than a month after returning to Infosys as executive chairman,NR Narayana Murthy has sounded out former right hand man Nandan Nilekani to join him at the company they founded with five others in 1981. Nilekani,chairman of the UIDAI,and MD & CEO of Infosys between March 2002 and June 2007 and co-chairman of the board thereafter,refused to comment. NRN has also sought out TV Mohandas Pai,former HR head at Infy; Pai declined a response.

Since his return to Infosys on June 1,bringing son Rohan along as executive assistant,NRN has been calling former team-mates to check if they would like to work with him. He is determined to rejuvenate the firm,announcing wage hikes and strategising on M&A to use the firm’s large cash reserves. The Street has welcomed NRN’s return,confident it would boost employee morale,but analysts realise chances of him being able to turn around Infosys aren’t very high. For one,NRN is 67 and has been away from an executive position for seven years,during which the environment has turned more competitive and Infosys weaker. With Nilekani and Pai at his side though,it could be a different story.