Madhavan Hariharan will take over as Birlasoft Ltd's CEO and Managing Director on December 8, 2026, replacing Angan Guha who joined the firm as CEO in December 2022. According to the company's official press release announced on Friday, November 6, 2026, Hariharan previously served as Group CFO for the $3 billion CKA Birla Group and brings strong familiarity with Birlasoft having worked closely with the company for several years through his leadership roles. Amita Birla, Chairman of Birlasoft, emphasized that Hariharan's leadership experience across the group, combined with his proven ability to drive business transformation and long-term value creation, makes him ideally positioned to lead Birlasoft into its next chapter. She noted that the technology industry was undergoing significant transformation with artificial intelligence reshaping how clients operate and approach their businesses, creating opportunities for the company to deepen its relevance and accelerate growth as businesses adapt to an AI-driven environment.
The leadership change comes as Birlasoft struggled to scale while peers outpaced it during Guha's tenure. As reported by Live Mint, the company's compound annual growth rate (CAGR) stood at 0.15% for FY23 and FY26, significantly lagging behind competitors. In comparison, Zensar Technologies Ltd achieved a CAGR of 2.13%, Sonata Software Ltd recorded 9.36%, and Firstsource Solutions Ltd posted 13% CAGR. Sonata Software and Firstsource Solutions even entered Indian IT's $1 billion club during this period.
The company faced significant leadership challenges with almost half a dozen senior executives leaving in the last 24 months, including its COO, CFO, CHRO and key business heads. According to Live Mint, these departures put a spanner in the works of any possible turnaround after Birlasoft's revenue decline in FY25. The exodus of senior executives compounded the company's struggles to capitalize on growth momentum in the country's mid-sized IT firms, especially in an uncertain demand environment and the threat of AI impacting their work.
Meanwhile, Angan Guha is returning to Wipro as President and CEO of its Americas 2 strategic market unit, effective December 8, 2026. As reported by Rediff Moneynews, Guha will report to Wipro CEO and MD Srini Pallia and will be a member of the Wipro Executive Leadership Team. Guha spent over 28 years at Wipro in several senior leadership roles, including CEO of the Americas 2 business unit, before joining Birlasoft as CEO and Managing Director. Wipro CEO Srini Pallia described Guha as bringing considerable experience in driving business growth and focus on innovation and execution to strengthen their Americas business.
Birlasoft is part of the CKA Birla Group and operates as a global technology company focused on digital transformation, with more than 11,000 professionals and expertise in cloud, artificial intelligence, data and enterprise solutions. The company works with businesses on digital transformation initiatives, offering solutions aimed at improving agility, resilience and customer experience. According to latest market data, shares of Birlasoft closed at ₹337.35 on the NSE, up ₹7.05 or 2.13% following the leadership announcement. The CKA Birla Group is an Indian multinational conglomerate with more than 35,000 employees and over 50 manufacturing facilities across India and other parts of the world, operating across technology, automotive, home and building, and healthcare sectors.
