India is a country of diverse and dynamic businesses, ranging from startups to multinational corporations. The leaders of these businesses are often rewarded with hefty salaries, bonuses, and stock options, making them some of the richest and most influential people in the country. In this blog, we will look at the top 10 highest-paid CEOs in India.
Here is the list of the names of the highest-paid CEOs of India, along with a small introduction about them and their educational background and experience:
Thierry Delaporte: CEO and Managing Director of Wipro Limited
Thierry Delaporte is the CEO and Managing Director of Wipro Limited, the fourth-largest IT services company in India. He joined Wipro in July 2020 and received a remuneration of ₹64.3 crores in FY21, making him the highest-paid CEO in India. He has over 25 years of experience in the IT industry, having worked with Capgemini Group for more than two decades. He holds a Master’s degree in Business Administration from ESCP Business School in France.
C Vijayakumar: President and CEO of HCL Technologies
C Vijayakumar is the President and CEO of HCL Technologies, the third-largest IT services company in India. He joined HCL in 1994 and became the CEO in October 2016. He received a remuneration of ₹62.8 crores in FY21, making him the second-highest-paid CEO in India. He has over 27 years of experience in the IT industry, having led various business units and geographies for HCL. He holds a Bachelor’s degree in Electrical and Electronics Engineering from PSG College of Technology, Tamil Nadu.
Salil Parekh: CEO and Managing Director of Infosys
Salil Parekh is the CEO and Managing Director of Infosys Limited, the second-largest IT services company in India. He joined Infosys in January 2018 and received a remuneration of ₹49.7 crores in FY21, making him the third-highest-paid CEO in India. He has over 30 years of experience in the IT industry, having worked with Ernst & Young and Capgemini Group before joining Infosys. He holds a Master’s degree in Engineering from Cornell University and a Bachelor’s degree in Aeronautical Engineering from IIT Bombay.
C P Gurnani: MD and CEO of Tech Mahindra
C P Gurnani is the Managing Director and CEO of Tech Mahindra, the fifth-largest IT services company in India. He joined Tech Mahindra in 2004 and became the CEO in 2012. He received a remuneration of ₹28.6 crores in FY21, making him the fourth-highest-paid CEO in India. He has over 35 years of experience in the IT industry, having worked with HCL Hewlett Packard Limited, Perot Systems (India) Limited, and HCL Corporation Ltd before joining Tech Mahindra. He holds a Bachelor’s degree in Chemical Engineering from NIT Rourkela.
S N Subrahmanyan: CEO and MD of L&T
S N Subrahmanyan is the CEO and Managing Director of Larsen & Toubro, the largest engineering and construction company in India. He joined L&T in 1984 and became the CEO in July 2017. He received a remuneration of ₹28.5 crores in FY21, making him the fifth-highest-paid CEO in India. He has over 37 years of experience in the engineering and construction industry, having led various projects and businesses for L&T. He holds a Master’s degree in Business Administration from Symbiosis Institute of Business Management, Pune, an Executive Management Program from London Business School, and a Bachelor’s degree in Civil Engineering from NIT Kurukshetra.
Rajesh Gopinathan: CEO and MD of TCS
Rajesh Gopinathan is the CEO and Managing Director of Tata Consultancy Services, the largest IT services company in India. He joined TCS in 2001 and became the CEO in February 2017. He received a remuneration of ₹20.4 crores in FY21, making him the sixth-highest-paid CEO in India. He has over 20 years of experience in the IT industry, having worked with Tata Industries before joining TCS. He holds a Post Graduate Diploma in Management from IIM Ahmedabad and a Bachelor’s degree in Electrical Engineering from REC Trichy.
Sanjiv Mehta: Chairman and MD of HUL
Sanjiv Mehta is the Chairman and Managing Director of Hindustan Unilever Limited, the largest consumer goods company in India. He joined HUL as CEO and MD in October 2013 and became Chairman as well in June 2018. He received a remuneration of ₹19.9 crores. Mehta has over 38 years of experience in the fast moving consumer goods (FMCG) industry, having worked with Union Carbide, Unilever Bangladesh, Unilever Philippines, Unilever North Africa and Middle East before joining HUL.
Mukesh Ambani: Chairman and MD of Reliance Industries Limited
Mukesh Ambani is the Chairman and Managing Director of Reliance Industries Limited, the largest private sector company in India. He joined Reliance in 1981 and became the CMD in 2002. He received a remuneration of ₹15 crores in FY21, making him the seventh-highest-paid CEO in India. He has over 40 years of experience in the oil and gas, petrochemicals, telecom, retail, and digital sectors, having transformed Reliance into a global conglomerate with diversified businesses. He holds a Bachelor’s degree in Chemical Engineering from UDCT Mumbai and a Master’s degree in Business Administration from Stanford University.
Gopal Vittal: MD and CEO of Airtel
Gopal Vittal is the Managing Director and CEO of Bharti Airtel Limited, the second-largest telecom operator in India. He joined Airtel in April 2012 and became the MD and CEO in March 2013. He received a remuneration of ₹13.7 crores in FY21, making him the eighth-highest-paid CEO in India. He has over 28 years of experience in the telecom, FMCG, and retail sectors, having worked with Hindustan Unilever Limited and McKinsey & Company before joining Airtel. He holds a Bachelor’s degree in Electrical Engineering from IIT Madras and a Post Graduate Diploma in Management from IIM Kolkata.
Amitabh Chaudhry: MD and CEO of Axis Bank
Amitabh Chaudhry is the Managing Director and CEO of Axis Bank Limited, the third-largest private sector bank in India. He joined Axis Bank in January 2019 and received a remuneration of ₹12.8 crores in FY21, making him the ninth-highest-paid CEO in India. He has over 32 years of experience in the banking, insurance, and IT sectors, having worked with HDFC Life Insurance Company Limited, Infosys BPO Limited, Bank of America, and Credit Lyonnais Securities before joining Axis Bank. He holds a Bachelor’s degree in Engineering from BITS Pilani and a Master’s degree in Business Administration from IIM Ahmedabad.
Sandeep Bakhshi: MD and CEO of ICICI Bank
Sandeep Bakhshi is the Managing Director and CEO of ICICI Bank Limited, the second-largest private sector bank in India. He joined ICICI Bank in May 1986 and became the MD and CEO in October 2018. He received a remuneration of ₹11.9 crores in FY21, making him the tenth-highest-paid CEO in India. He has over 35 years of experience in the banking, insurance, and financial services sectors, having worked with ICICI Prudential Life Insurance Company Limited, ICICI Lombard General Insurance Company Limited, and Godrej Group before joining ICICI Bank. He holds a Bachelor’s degree in Mechanical Engineering from Punjab Engineering College Chandigarh and a Post Graduate Diploma in Management from XLRI Jamshedpur.
