HCLTech CEO C Vijayakumar Becomes Highest-Paid IT Executive with ₹94.6 Crore in FY25

HCL Technologies CEO C Vijayakumar earned USD 10.85 million (approx. ₹94.6 crore) in FY 2024-25, making him the highest-paid CEO among Indian IT majors. His pay surpasses those of TCS, Infosys, and Wipro CEOs, reflecting both his leadership tenure and the company’s performance under his guidance.

Breakdown of FY25 Remuneration

According to HCLTech’s annual report, Vijayakumar’s total compensation included a base salary of USD 1.96 million and a performance-linked bonus of USD 1.73 million. The bulk of his earnings came from the exercise of Restricted Stock Units (RSUs) valued at USD 6.96 million. He also received USD 0.20 million in benefits and perquisites. His compensation was paid by HCL America Inc., the company's wholly-owned US subsidiary, where he is based.

The board has now approved a 71% hike in his remuneration for FY 2025-26, taking his total package to USD 18.6 million (approx. ₹154 crore). The new structure significantly boosts both fixed and performance-linked components.

Outpacing Peers in India’s IT Sector

Vijayakumar’s earnings exceeded those of CEOs at India’s other leading IT firms. For the same fiscal year, TCS CEO K Krithivasan earned ₹26.52 crore, Infosys CEO Salil Parekh earned ₹80.62 crore, and Wipro CEO Srinivas Pallia drew USD 6.2 million (₹53.64 crore).

The annual report noted that HCLTech’s market capitalisation grew from ₹1.15 lakh crore in FY16 to ₹4.32 lakh crore by FY25, an increase of 3.8 times, outpacing the average 2.5x growth of other top IT firms during the same period.

Also Read: HCL Tech Q1FY26 Earnings: Revenue Grew Slightly and Profit Slipped Over 3% YoY!

Conclusion

While high CEO compensation often sparks debate, companies tend to link such packages to sustained performance and shareholder value creation. Investors and stakeholders should assess the long-term value delivered under a leader’s tenure and align it with their investment objectives, rather than focus solely on compensation figures.

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