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Himanshu Pathak appointed VP strategy and digital transformation at RIL
MUMBAI: Reliance Industries Limited has elevated Himanshu Pathak to vice president strategy and digital transformation for group infrastructure, placing him at the heart of the conglomerate’s technology-led future. Based in Navi Mumbai, Pathak will lead the integrated operations centre for group infrastructure services, driving the digital transformation agenda across the PCI value stream covering people, culture and infrastructure.
In his new role, Pathak will shape and execute the digital roadmap that supports multiple Reliance businesses, including the rapidly expanding new energy portfolio. The mandate is ambitious but familiar territory for a leader who has spent nearly a decade inside the Reliance ecosystem.
Before this appointment, Pathak served as senior general manager for people in new energy and group infrastructure, where he played a key role in building systems and processes for one of the group’s most strategic bets. He has also led platform and digitisation initiatives for group corporate services, combining strategy with hands-on execution.
Pathak’s career reflects a steady climb through the worlds of process excellence and large-scale transformation. His earlier stints span Indus Towers, Piramal Enterprises, Infosys BPM and Piramal Glass Ceylon, where he worked across manufacturing excellence, operational improvement and enterprise-wide change programmes.
Known for blending analytical rigour with stakeholder savvy, Pathak brings deep experience in digital transformation, business strategy and change management. At Reliance, that mix is now set to power the next chapter of infrastructure-led growth, with technology as the quiet engine behind the scenes.
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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.
