Bengaluru/Mumbai: TCS, a $30 billion IT firm, has announced the appointment of Aarthi Subramanian as its President and Chief Operating Officer (COO), making her the first woman to hold this position in the Indian IT sector. Subramanian, who has been with TCS since 1989, has risen through the ranks to become a trusted troubleshooter and has extensive experience in delivery excellence, account stewardship, and large-scale program management. She has held various leadership positions within TCS, including head of governance, compliance, and risk management, and head of delivery for the retail and consumer packaged goods business unit.
Subramanian has also served as the group chief digital officer of Tata Sons, driving digital technology, innovation, and AI for eight years. She is known for her expertise in setting up the SAP Centre of Excellence in Chennai and driving business excellence, front-ending many customer visits with the CTO’s office.
Her appointment as COO has been hailed as a significant milestone for gender diversity in the Indian IT sector, where women are underrepresented in top leadership positions. Industry experts believe that her appointment is a powerful statement and a major step in the right direction for the industry.
Subramanian will assume the COO position on May 1, replacing N Ganapathy Subramaniam, who retired from the firm last year. She will be responsible for overseeing the operations of the company and will report directly to CEO K Krithivasan.
Subramanian’s tenure as COO will conclude in 2030 when she reaches 63, after which it is premature to predict what the board of TCS will determine regarding her potential succession to the CEO role. Nonetheless, her appointment sends a strong signal about the company’s commitment to diversity and inclusion.