Salil Parekh, Chief Executive Officer and Managing Director of Infosys, has emerged as one of the highest-paid executives in India’s information technology (IT) sector, with his total compensation for the financial year 2024-25 reaching $9.4 million (approximately ₹78.5 crore). This marks a 22% increase from the previous fiscal year, according to the company’s latest regulatory filings.

The substantial rise in Parekh's earnings is largely attributed to higher stock incentives and performance-linked bonuses, reflecting the company’s strong performance in a volatile global economic environment. His pay package includes a mix of fixed salary, bonuses, stock options, and other benefits, aligning with the compensation structures of global IT leaders.

Breakdown of Compensation

According to Infosys’ annual report filed with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), Parekh’s $9.4 million compensation package comprises:

• Fixed Salary: Approximately $1.8 million

• Bonus and Incentives: Around $2.2 million

• Stock Awards: Roughly $5.4 million

The hike in stock awards represents a significant portion of the increase and reflects the company’s focus on aligning leadership goals with long-term shareholder value.

Performance Highlights

During FY25, Infosys posted a revenue of over $19 billion, with robust growth in digital services and cloud transformation deals. The company also expanded its global delivery capabilities and signed several multi-million-dollar contracts across North America and Europe.

While the broader IT industry witnessed a slowdown in hiring and reduced discretionary spending from clients, Infosys managed to maintain a strong margin profile and delivered consistent earnings.

Comparative Landscape

Parekh’s compensation now places him ahead of many of his peers in the Indian IT services industry. For context:

• TCS CEO K. Krithivasan reportedly earned around $3.7 million in FY25.

• Wipro CEO Thierry Delaporte, one of the other top-paid executives, had a reported compensation of around $7.2 million last fiscal.

• Tech Mahindra and HCLTech also reported executive pay packages that were significantly lower in comparison.

This divergence reflects not only the varying pay philosophies across companies but also differing business strategies and leadership tenures.

Investor and Governance Perspective

Infosys, a company known for its strong corporate governance track record, noted in its filing that the CEO’s pay is performance-linked and approved by the board and shareholders. The company emphasized that Parekh met or exceeded key performance metrics, including revenue growth, digital transformation targets, and client satisfaction benchmarks.

However, high executive compensation remains a topic of debate, especially in a context where cost optimization and layoffs have affected parts of the tech sector globally. Some analysts and governance watchdogs have flagged the need for a more balanced reward structure that considers broader employee welfare.

Conclusion

As the Indian IT sector continues to navigate a challenging yet opportunity-rich global environment, leadership stability and accountability are increasingly viewed as critical drivers of growth. Salil Parekh’s remuneration package underscores the market’s recognition of leadership that delivers strategic transformation while maintaining financial discipline.

Infosys is set to hold its annual general meeting later this month, where executive compensation is expected to be a point of discussion among institutional investors and governance observers.