Vivek Paul quits Wipro for Texas Pacific

Bangalore: Wipro Ltd., India's third-largest software exporter, announced Thursday that Vice Chairman Vivek Paul is leaving. According to the company, Paul would stay until the end of September before joining private equity firm Texas Pacific Group as a partner. In the meanwhile the company has also said that three business unit heads will now report directly to Chairman Azim Premji, as an interim measure.

Hired from General Electric Co (Research) six years ago, Paul was the head of Wipro's main software export unit, Wipro Technologies, and the global face of the Bangalore-based firm.

Paul's move comes soon after the exit of Raman Roy, vice chairman of Wipro's back-office unit, who left three weeks ago.

"Vivek has groomed a set of global leaders who can take over from him and continue to build on this foundation," Premji said in a statement. Premji also named Lakshman Rao, who currently heads Wipro's telecom business, as chief operating officer.

Sudip Banerjee, president of the unit that runs corporate software services, and Girish Paranjpe, who heads the financial service business, will also report to Premji in place of Paul.