MAM
Genpact appoints Sanjeev Vohra as chief technology & innovation officer
Mumbai: Genpact, a global professional services and solutions firm, has announced that Sanjeev Vohra has been named as the company’s first chief technology & innovation officer, effective immediately. Vohra will report to president and CEO, Balkrishan “BK” Kalra.
Vohra, a seasoned leader, and respected innovator, brings more than 30 years of technology, consulting and industry expertise to Genpact. His appointment will help accelerate the delivery of AI and advanced technologies solutions, enabling higher client value and opportunities for business growth. He will also drive Genpact’s technology strategy, innovation framework, strategic partnerships and future-proof talent roadmap and skill rotation, enhancing the overall technology expertise within Genpact.
“Sanjeev brings tremendous AI and advanced technologies expertise to Genpact and an inclusive, people-first leadership style to our team,” said Genpact president and CEO Balkrishan “BK” Kalra. “Our teams are critical to our success, and we’ve made significant progress in scaling our broader technology skills as part of our overall investment in Data, Tech and AI. Sanjeev’s visionary thinking will be invaluable as we embed AI and advanced technologies in every client conversation and deepen our internal technology expertise throughout Genpact.”
Most recently, Vohra served as the global lead of Accenture applied intelligence where he spearheaded the aggressive growth of Accenture’s Data and AI business and advised C-suite executives across industries to unlock value through the strategic application of data, advanced analytics and AI. During his tenure at Accenture, he held a variety of leadership roles focused on large-scale digital transformation to create new growth opportunities and served as a member of Accenture’s global management committee.
“I am excited to lead Genpact’s AI and advanced technology initiatives at such a pivotal moment,” said Genpact chief technology & innovation officer Sanjeev Vohra. “There is a tremendous opportunity to leverage the capabilities of advanced technologies for positive change and unlock value for clients and shareholders. Genpact’s deep domain expertise, intense focus on process and commitment to scale broader technology will allow us to accelerate the pace at which we deliver digital transformation for our clients. I look forward to working with our talented, global teams to create unparalleled value by harnessing the power of advanced technologies and depth of process knowledge.”
Brands
Estée Lauder to shed 10,000 jobs as new boss bets on digital shift
The cosmetics giant raises its profit outlook but stays silent on a possible merger with Spain’s Puig, as job cuts deepen and a three-year sales slump weighs on the turnaround
NEW YORK: Stéphane de La Faverie is not done cutting. Estée Lauder announced on Friday that it plans to eliminate as many as 3,000 additional jobs, taking its total redundancy programme to as many as 10,000 roles, up from a previous target of 7,000 announced a year ago. The company, which owns La Mer, The Ordinary, Tom Ford, and Aveda, employs roughly 57,000 people worldwide. The mathematics of what is now being contemplated is stark.
The fresh round of cuts is expected to generate a further $200 million in savings, bringing the total annual savings from the programme to as much as $1.2 billion before taxes. That money, De La Faverie has made clear, will be ploughed back into the turnaround.
A CEO in a hurry
De La Faverie, who took the helm in January 2025, inherited a company that had endured three consecutive years of annual sales declines. His response has been to move fast and cut deep. A significant portion of the latest redundancies reflects his push to reduce headcount at US department stores, long a cornerstone of Estée Lauder’s distribution model but now a channel in structural decline. In their place, he is accelerating the shift toward faster-growing online platforms, including Amazon.com and TikTok Shop, a pivot that is reshaping not just where Estée Lauder sells but how it thinks about its customers.
The numbers are moving in the right direction
Despite the pain, there are signs the medicine is working. Estée Lauder raised its profit outlook for the remainder of the fiscal year, guiding for adjusted earnings per share in the range of $2.35 to $2.45, above analyst estimates and a notable step up from the $2.05 to $2.25 range it had guided for in February. Organic net sales growth is expected to come in at 3 per cent, the company said, at the high end of the range it set out in February.
The share price tells a mixed story. After De La Faverie took charge, the stock surged nearly 60 per cent, buoyed by investor optimism that a longtime company insider could finally arrest the decline. But 2026 has been rougher: the shares have fallen 27 per cent this year, weighed down by disappointing February results and the overhang of unresolved merger talks with Spanish beauty giant Puig Brands SA. The company gave no additional details about those discussions on Friday, leaving the market to guess.
Silence on Puig
The proposed tie-up with Puig remains the most consequential unknown hanging over Estée Lauder. A deal with the Barcelona-based group, which owns brands including Carolina Herrera and Rabanne, would reshape the global luxury beauty landscape. But with nothing new to say and a turnaround still very much in progress, De La Faverie is asking investors to trust the process.
Three years of sales declines, 10,000 job cuts, and a merger that may or may not happen. At Estée Lauder, the overhaul has barely started.
