Padmasree Warrior might join Wipro

Cisco's former chief technology and strategy officer Padmasree Warrior might join India’s third-largest IT services company, Wipro as an advisory or a Board member.

Sources told TOI that the Vijaywada-born Warrior, one of Silicon Valley's most influential technology leaders, is being wooed by Wipro.

Warrior would be seen as a savvy addition at a time when the $7.5-billion IT company is attempting to bolster its digital and IP-based offerings.

Warrior, one of the brightest Indian technology stars in the US, stepped down earlier this month as CTO at Cisco, a role she held for seven years.

She was named the 71st most powerful woman in the world by Forbes magazine last year.

When TOI contacted Wipro, the company said, "We are currently in the silent period ahead of our first quarter earnings.”

"I suspect it's a board role," said Peter Bendor Samuel, CEO of US-based IT research advisory firm Everest Group. Padmasree, he said, would be able to make a significant contribution to Wipro, helping guide them through the transition from a firm exclusively focused on the industrial arbitrage space to a firm which seeks to establish itself as a leader in the as-a-service and automation markets.

"This transition is going to be very challenging and bringing in outside points of view from leading industry thinks such as Padmasree will be essential," he said.

Ray Wang, CEO of US-based Constellation Research, said Wipro is looking for someone with Silicon Valley credibility to provide insights and vision to the team. "Padmasree's a good evangelist and Wipro has many good technologists so there could be a match there," he said.

(Image: Indiatimes)