Tensions are escalating among major Indian IT companies, with Infosys joining the fray against Cognizant. Infosys has officially notified Cognizant, alleging the unethical poaching of its valuable employees. This move by Infosys follows Cognizant’s recruitment of over 20 individuals for its top management, reportedly including four high-ranking executives from Infosys.
According to a MoneyControl report, Infosys claims that Cognizant has employed unfair tactics in recruiting their former employees. A source revealed that although non-compete rules might not be fully enforceable, this notice to Cognizant was more of a cautionary message.
Ravi Kumar, the current CEO of Cognizant and a former executive at Infosys, has brought in a total of 20 executives as executive vice presidents and four as vice presidents, several of whom were previously associated with Infosys and Wipro. This development has prompted legal action from both Infosys and Wipro against Cognizant.
WIPRO VS CONGNIZANT
This clash comes shortly after Wipro took legal action against its former CEO Jatin Dalal and another executive, Mohd Haque, for joining Cognizant. Wipro filed a lawsuit against Haque, alleging a breach of the non-compete clause in his employment agreement when he joined Cognizant as the Senior Vice President and Business Unit Head for life sciences. Allegedly, Haque made this move before the scheduled expiration of his non-compete clause, initially set to end on August 1, 2023.
Wipro’s complaint contends that Haque left the company with seven files containing confidential information, transferred through his personal Gmail account, as identified by Wipro’s IT team. Further allegations suggest additional file uploads and transmissions from Wipro to Haque’s personal email account.
Haque allegedly uploaded multiple files shortly before formally resigning, despite misleading Wipro about his intentions. Although he reportedly denied plans to join Cognizant, his LinkedIn profile has not been updated to reflect his new employment status, as per a TOI report.
Both Wipro and Infosys have experienced a series of high-level departures since 2022, including key figures such as CFOs, executive vice presidents, and managing directors. Many of these departing executives have subsequently joined rival firms, leading to legal action against these companies for what’s perceived as an unethical talent acquisition strategy.
Related video : Infosys Sends A Missive To Cognizant Alleging Unfair Employee Poaching | CNBC TV18 (CNBCTV18)
