Brands
Devi Shankar bids farewell to Anarock after building India’s data-centre juggernaut
MUMBAI: Five years, $2.7bn in closed deals, and two of India’s largest data-centre platforms later, Devi Shankar is leaving Anarock.
The managing director of investment banking built the firm’s data-centre business from nothing into a powerhouse. Her crowning achievements: EverYondr ($1 bIllion) and Colt-RMZ ($1.7 billion), two landmark transactions that helped establish India as a serious player in digital infrastructure. Advising global investors and private-equity funds on market entry became her signature move.
“This wasn’t just a job; it was home,” Shankar wrote in her farewell message, referencing her early-morning arrivals and her notorious “Devi Standard Time” departures to beat Mumbai’s traffic. She gave special thanks to Ankita Sahu, whom she described as her “backbone for the last five years”.
The move caps a 20-year career spanning KPMG, Deloitte, Jones Lang LaSalle and Ask Property Fund. Shankar’s expertise in structuring complex transactions—from introductions through to commercial negotiations, term sheets and due diligence—has made her one of India’s most respected dealmakers in alternative real estate.
Alongside her corporate work, Shankar has been pursuing a parallel venture since January 2023: Irea Life, a private fashion label where she serves as creative lead and business adviser. The brand focuses on AI-driven solutions for customer experience and marketing automation.
Shankar hinted that an announcement about her next move is imminent, though she declined to share details. Industry watchers will be watching closely to see where one of India’s leading investment bankers lands next.
Brands
Wipro hires 7,500 freshers, withholds FY27 hiring outlook
Profit rises to Rs 3,522 crore, Rs 15,000 crore buyback announced.
MUMBAI- Hiring may be on, but visibility is off, Wipro is adding talent even as it pauses the crystal ball. The company hired 7,500 freshers in FY26 but stopped short of offering any hiring outlook for FY27, underscoring the uncertainty gripping the IT services sector as it pivots towards an AI-led operating model.
The disclosure came alongside its fourth-quarter earnings, where management flagged volatile demand conditions and refrained from committing to future workforce expansion. Chief human resources officer Saurabh Govil noted that over 3,000 of the total hires were onboarded in the March quarter alone, signalling continued intake despite a lack of clarity on deployment pipelines.
This divergence active hiring without forward guidance reflects a broader industry pattern where talent acquisition continues even as deal conversions remain uneven and client spending cycles stretch. Wipro expects its IT services revenue for the June quarter to range between a decline of 2 per cent and flat growth sequentially in constant currency terms, reinforcing near-term caution.
Chief executive officer Srini Pallia pointed to artificial intelligence as both a disruptor and an opportunity. He said evolving client priorities are pushing the company towards outcome-driven engagements, with Wipro increasingly focusing on a services-as-software model through its AI Native Business and Platforms unit. The shift marks a structural change from traditional headcount-led growth to AI-enabled delivery frameworks.
The company has already committed over $1 billion to its AI ecosystem, with investors closely watching how these investments translate into revenue. For now, the numbers present a mixed picture. Net profit rose sequentially to Rs 3,522 crore, while revenue grew 3 per cent to Rs 24,236 crore. However, core IT services performance remained under pressure, with full-year revenue declining 0.3 per cent in dollar terms and 1.6 per cent in constant currency.
Large deal bookings offered a counterpoint, rising 45.4 per cent year-on-year to $7.8 billion, highlighting a widening gap between deal wins and actual revenue realisation. On a quarterly basis, IT services revenue slipped 1.2 per cent sequentially, signalling continued softness in execution.
Margins, however, told a more optimistic story. Operating margins expanded to 17.3 per cent in the fourth quarter, up from 14.8 per cent in the previous quarter, reflecting improved cost discipline. That said, the company cautioned that upcoming wage hikes and the ramp-up of large deals could exert pressure going forward.
Attrition stood at 13.8 per cent in the March quarter, indicating stabilisation after periods of elevated churn. Alongside its earnings, Wipro also announced a Rs 15,000 crore share buyback, reinforcing its focus on shareholder returns, with a payout ratio of 88 per cent over the past three years.
Taken together, the numbers capture a company in transition investing in AI, maintaining hiring momentum, but navigating a demand environment where growth is uneven and visibility remains limited.
