Wipro takes onboard former banker Arundhati as director

Bengaluru: Global software major Wipro on Wednesday took onboard former State Bank of India (SBI) chairman Arundhati Bhattacharya to its Board of Directors, the company said.

"Acclaimed banker with four decades of experience in India's financial sector, Arundhati Bhattacharya will serve as the company's Independent Director for a period of five years from January 1, 2019," the city-based IT major said in a statement.

Arundhati, 62, recently also joined Reliance Industries Limited (RIL) as an independent director.

"With her illustrious career, the company felt that she (Arundhati) could add immense value to our board," Wipro's Chief Human Resources Officer Saurabh Govil told reporters at a press briefing to announce the company's second quarter results.

Arundhati, who headed the state-run SBI from 2013-17, comes with an expertise in banking, foreign exchange, treasury, retail operations, mergers and acquisitions that could benefit the IT firm, the statement said.

Known for spearheading technological initiatives and digital transformation of the state-run bank, Arundhati has reimagined people's practices with a focus on women, the company added.

"I am confident that her deep repository of knowledge spanning across financial services combined with her understanding of technology and expertise in operational transformation will benefit Wipro," the firm's chairman Azim Premji said in the statement.

On joining the company's board, Arundhati said in the statement, "I am delighted to be invited to join the board of Wipro, an organisation which is respected globally for its technology leadership and commitment to values. I look forward to contributing to the company's growth charter."