Opinion Premji and Sons

Within post-liberalisation India,and especially its globally-renowned software companies founded by a slew of self-made entrepreneurs,Rishad Premji represents the next generation of leadership. Those who know him say he is bright,humble and focused. He is most often described as self-effacing. Managers note that he never throws his weight around despite his unique circumstance as the presumed inheritor of the Premji business empire.

Amongst India’s top software services firms,Rishad Premji’s business moves will be watched closely. The top three firms,TCS,Infosys and Cognizant,are not owner-driven. At another top firm,HCL,founder Shiv Nadar’s only child Roshni Nadar is CEO of the holding company and is not involved in the operations of its technology services firm. But Rishad Premji is into it full on.

Some attribute Rishad Premji’s exceptional situation at Wipro to that bane of India,dynastic rule. Indeed,in many of the country’s pre-liberalisation corporations,founders are majority shareholders are top managers. But India’s technology industry has carved a brand for itself in the name of meritocracy,flat organisational structures and employee stock options. Some cynics question whether Rishad Premji,however talented,would have risen so high so quickly in a multi-billion corporation of the size of Wipro if not for his lineage.

The older Premji built the Wipro empire,of which he still controls over three-quarters stake,in a disciplined,almost fanatical manner. Managers have seen Premji at his most real,including his grumpiest,scrappiest moments. There can only be one Premji,old-timers say — a business leader who marches to his own tune and is not afraid to speak his mind. The younger Premji,contrastingly,is controlled and even-tempered at all times.

Rishad’s background is a mix of solid education and global exposure. He graduated with an economics degree from Wesleyan University and then went on to work for General Electric. He then got an MBA from Harvard Business School and joined leading consulting firm,Bain & Co.,at their London offices. He arrived in Wipro in 2007,and worked in a fairly nondescript role as business head for special projects.

Like his father,Rishad’s private life is off-limits to his colleagues and certainly the media. He is married to Aditi,who is often described in a worn cliché as his “childhood sweetheart”. The couple,especially the wife,is spotted sometimes at society soirees. Rishad’s younger brother Tariq,32,works at the Azim Premji Foundation and is relatively low-key even within the organisation.

Premji Senior is passionate about trekking,hiking and the outdoors. But Rishad’s obsession is said to be cricket — he both plays the game and follows it avidly. Those who know him describe Rishad Premji as more tech-savvy than his father and,again quite unlike his father,happy to travel on work. He is articulate,easy going and would have made it big in any organisation,they say.

Many parallels can be drawn between the Premji succession story and the current progression in the Gandhi family. The older generation is quite content to let more experienced managers run the show for now. But the message is unspoken yet unambiguous. Rahul and Rishad are being groomed to take over the empires one day soon. The world is watching.

saritha.rai@expressindia.com