Mr. N R Narayana Murthy has been
under some criticism for a while for having raised some questions that remain
unanswered by the erstwhile CEO Vishal Sikka or the present Infosys Board, ‘Founders
Go Away – leave the company alone’ has been a rhetoric that’s been echoing in the
present board rooms of Infosys.
under some criticism for a while for having raised some questions that remain
unanswered by the erstwhile CEO Vishal Sikka or the present Infosys Board, ‘Founders
Go Away – leave the company alone’ has been a rhetoric that’s been echoing in the
present board rooms of Infosys.
So when I read a scathing
attack by Omkar Goswami in an open letter to Mr. Murthy – I wondered ,
By jove He must be one hell of a fellow to make such an advice and would have
founded bigger better companies than Mr. Murthy. Well yes he has been on the
board of many of them but I don’t think Omkar Goswami has to his credit an iota
of what Mr. Murthy has achieved in his lifetime.
attack by Omkar Goswami in an open letter to Mr. Murthy – I wondered ,
By jove He must be one hell of a fellow to make such an advice and would have
founded bigger better companies than Mr. Murthy. Well yes he has been on the
board of many of them but I don’t think Omkar Goswami has to his credit an iota
of what Mr. Murthy has achieved in his lifetime.
When I wrote about Sikka
on 10th Jan 2017 in Huff post, I thought I had crossed a bit of
a line in making some assumptions. But it’s a great feeling to be proved right,
now and then, and that too in public domain.
on 10th Jan 2017 in Huff post, I thought I had crossed a bit of
a line in making some assumptions. But it’s a great feeling to be proved right,
now and then, and that too in public domain.
Now back to Omkar Goswami
Google search threw up a Wikipediapage on Omkar Goswami and yes he is an economist by education, he might be a carrying a
chip on his shoulder for being from Oxford, Masters in Economics, and of course
a doctorate in philosophy by writing a dissertation on Jute economics which in today’s
parlance is seemingly irrelevant on the face of it.
chip on his shoulder for being from Oxford, Masters in Economics, and of course
a doctorate in philosophy by writing a dissertation on Jute economics which in today’s
parlance is seemingly irrelevant on the face of it.
I dug deeper and the sum
total of his life resume can be written as follows….
total of his life resume can be written as follows….
…A well educated economist,
academician, and a columnist of repute with a doctorate on a defunct topic in
today’s world.
academician, and a columnist of repute with a doctorate on a defunct topic in
today’s world.
Well I hadn’t ever heard of Omkar Goswami till 2
days ago but let me ask him a few questions since the season of open letters and
editorials… (a’la Infosys) is in full spring.
days ago but let me ask him a few questions since the season of open letters and
editorials… (a’la Infosys) is in full spring.
Dear Omkar Goswami…….
- Have You managed a P&L ‘ever’ in
Your life - Have You ever founded a company
- Have you ever been regarded a father
of any industry - Have You ever held a responsibility
where an ocean of investors have remained vested on your credibility - Have you ever taken a decision that has
created immense value for yourself or for any company and its shareholders - Have You set a precedent of
transparency and compliance, such as, quarterly reporting and guidance, far
before it became a statutory norm for listed companies. - Do you have any claim to fame of
being beyond a consultant? (a consultant is popularly an analyst/advisor who
has all the opinion and authority in the world without any direct
responsibility) - Does anyone know you or has respected
you as an epitome of corporate governance in any circle whatsoever. And Lastly….. - Have You been listed
as one of the 12 greatest in anything by anyone?
Mr. Omkar Goswami – if the answer to any of the
above was Yes – I would have heard of you for sure.
above was Yes – I would have heard of you for sure.
And if the same questions were to be
put to Mr. Murthy, the answer to each one would be a resounding Yes.
put to Mr. Murthy, the answer to each one would be a resounding Yes.
It surprises me that people who have
the skin in the game and have founded companies and nurtured these for a major
part of their life and have earned and commanded (through their deeds, hard
work and thought leadership) respect and adulation are being questioned by
people who have no skin in the game. Most of the present board members of
Infosys are retired professionals / executives who are now playing an extended
innings (I am sure) for some remuneration.
the skin in the game and have founded companies and nurtured these for a major
part of their life and have earned and commanded (through their deeds, hard
work and thought leadership) respect and adulation are being questioned by
people who have no skin in the game. Most of the present board members of
Infosys are retired professionals / executives who are now playing an extended
innings (I am sure) for some remuneration.
If the companies are to survive
beyond a global average of 33-35 years, decision makers and opinionists must
have a skin in the game. Else it takes just a few quarters of bad
decision-making to bring down companies and takes decades to build back the
same.
beyond a global average of 33-35 years, decision makers and opinionists must
have a skin in the game. Else it takes just a few quarters of bad
decision-making to bring down companies and takes decades to build back the
same.
Mr. Murthy-, the world (India and
beyond) has looked upto your values and have endeavoured to imbibe within
itself, what you have preached and practiced all your life.
beyond) has looked upto your values and have endeavoured to imbibe within
itself, what you have preached and practiced all your life.
So what if you asked a few pertinent
questions or a few documents of a deal to be made public or raised a doubt on
the remuneration of someone who has little evidence of achievement in Your
opinion.
questions or a few documents of a deal to be made public or raised a doubt on
the remuneration of someone who has little evidence of achievement in Your
opinion.
You founded Infosys, It’s is in your
right to do so and I am sure millions along-with me stand with you in your
ideology and in spirit.
right to do so and I am sure millions along-with me stand with you in your
ideology and in spirit.
Agree.
Brilliant analysis
Good one Nanu
Awesome Manu Ji. It's time to meet. Give me a shout if you are in Delhi at anytime.
Superb article Manu. I wish we had more visionaries like Mr Murthy in the world. They have the courage to do things that others would discourage. By definition, a consultant may (ONLY) know how to do a particular thing the best way. They are not pioneers and lack creativity. If we listened to all the so called experts, then we would still be hunter gatherers. Omkar Goswami should be asked to leave.