Wipro’s APMEA Chief Anis Chenchah Steps Down, First Senior Exit Under Pallia

Anis Chenchah, the Head of Asia Pacific, the Middle East, and Africa (APMEA) at Wipro Limited, has stepped down, marking the first major departure since Srinivas Pallia took over as CEO last month.

Chenchah, appointed as CEO of Wipro’s APMEA region by former CEO Thierry Delaporte in April 2022, announced his resignation on Thursday, as per a company filing. He will continue in his role until May 31 to ensure a smooth transition, according to the company. During his tenure, Chenchah also served on the 11-member Wipro Executive Board. His resignation comes amid challenges for Wipro’s APMEA business.

Wipro has appointed Vinay Firake, a 26-year veteran of the company and former Managing Director of the Nordics business, to replace Chenchah, effective immediately. Firake will be based in Dubai.

Firake’s appointment, along with Malay Joshi taking charge of the Americas 1 unit in April 2024, reflects Pallia’s strategy of appointing trusted leaders. These changes came shortly after Pallia assumed the CEO role.

Chenchah’s departure underscores two key points: Pallia’s appointment of trusted leaders and the uncertainty surrounding other executive committee members.

According to a report by Mint, Wipro chairman Rishad Premji requested Delaporte to resign in late March. With Delaporte’s departure, the future of 18 members of Wipro’s 32-member executive committee remains uncertain.

Firake’s appointment is aimed at bolstering revenue from the APMEA unit, currently Wipro’s least profitable.