CP Gurnani’s plan for Tech Mahindra amid Covid-19 uncertainty
In an interview with Business Standard’s Surajeet Das Gupta, Tech Mahindra’s CEO and Managing Director CP Gurnani shared his company’s plans for growth amid the ongoing uncertainty caused by Covid-19
Topics
Tech Mahindra | C P Gurnani | IT sector
Q: Has Covid and now the possibility of another wave impacted your business or provided Tech Mahindra with new opportunities?
Ans:
>50% of TechM’s revenue comes from telecom service providers and telecom ecosystem
>Telcos need to work on network upgradation, for 5G value addition
>New platforms will drive consumption of telecom
>WFH will make customers appreciate network service providers
>TechM’s area of focus
-5G and software-defined networks
-5G in enterprise
-Network upgradation by service providers
-Digital platform for telcos
Q: You are a large player in the Open Radio Access Network (ORAN) space for 4G and 5G. But recently you have sold off your 50 per cent stake in Altiostar which was a key player in the ORAN technology space to Rakuten. Is there a change in strategy?
Ans:
>Number of players in the Open Radio Access Network (ORAN) space has increased
>Microsoft, VMware and Mavenir who have their own ORAN ecosystem
>Strategy: Not an execution partner to one, instead execute with the leading players
>Rakuten is one of TechM’s biggest partners
Q: A lot of the telecom companies in India are building their own 5G networks, such as Jio and Airtel. Airtel has a tie-up with the Tatas and Jio with others. Is that the model you will go with? Or has the door for you to do business with Indian telcos closed?
Ans:
>All players trying to find viable proofs of concept at a certain scale and volume
>The execution partner to all players, including Airtel and Jio
>Focus not on product; Tatas not a competition
Q: One key problem you always tend to face is the people problem – getting in more people, training them. As growth happens, attrition grows. What is the situation in Tech Mahindra? How are you tackling this issue?
Ans:
>Talent is an industry-wide issue
>A talent war is underway
>Opening up offices in Tier 2 cities
>Presence in emerging markets
>Find young talents and participate in their career development
Q: Do you see Tech Mahindra breaking into the top three IT services companies in terms of revenues in the coming future?
Ans:
>I have not stopped dreaming and I have not stopped executing
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First Published: Tue, December 28 2021. 08:30 IST
