HCLTech CEO C Vijayakumar says AI marks inflection point for tech industry

AI and the next phase of tech transformation

Artificial intelligence has driven the global technology sector to a fresh inflection point, where market leadership will depend on continuous enterprise reinvention rather than sheer scale, HCLTech Chief Executive Officer and Managing Director C Vijayakumar has said.

Writing on LinkedIn to mark ten years as head of the IT services major, Vijayakumar highlighted how rapid shifts have repeatedly rewritten business models and redefined what is possible over the past decade. The acceleration of AI, he emphasised, represents another foundational shift for the entire sector.

"Today as AI reshapes our industry, we are once again at an inflection point," Vijayakumar wrote. He added that his firm conviction remains that "the future belongs not necessarily to the biggest, but to those willing to continually reinvent themselves."

Scaling India's IT footprint globally

Vijayakumar's decade leading HCLTech reflects the ongoing growth and global standing of India's technology sector. Over his tenure, the company built on its established foundation to become a global enterprise employing more than 225,000 people, expanding into new geographical markets and securing contracts with major global corporations.

Reflecting on the company's trajectory, Vijayakumar remarked that while strategies and investments build companies, they endure through culture, values and people. He noted that although milestones and financial performance are public, the colleagues, clients and family who supported the journey remain his primary focus.

Leadership during tech disruption

Addressing the evolving demands of corporate management, Vijayakumar set out his approach to leading an IT major through constant industry changes. Effective leadership, he noted, is not about having answers to every question, but about encouraging teams to challenge established thinking.

He stated that executive leadership requires asking better questions, making tough operational decisions, and creating an environment where employees can do the best work of their careers. As Indian tech giants lead the way in offering AI solutions to global clients, Vijayakumar said he remains convinced that the best of HCLTech is still to come.