Infosys ex-chairman R Seshasayee, ex-directors John Etchemendy and Jeffrey Lehman have issued statements countering the arguments of co-founder Narayana Murthy on governance issues faced by the software company.
R Seshasayee, former chairman of Infosys
Since my resignation from the Board of Infosys, I kept away from making public statements, despite provocations, since I sincerely want the company to move forward, and not be bogged down with the issues of the past.
Murthy’s statement to the investors reported by the press forces me to issue this statement, which is done only to defend myself against personal attacks and patently false and slanderous accusations.
Murthy’s statement to the investors misleadingly attributes words to me that are taken completely out of context, making it appear that I was not stating the truth. I wish to categorically state that I have always been candid and truthful in all my statements concerning Infosys.
To quote an anonymous whistleblower letter that alleged many things, which have subsequently been proved baseless and false through multiple investigations by highly respected counsel, in order to give an impression to the audience that I lied to the shareholders, is patently offensive.
The words that Murthy attributes to Jeff Lehman and Roopa Kudva, from their private conversation with him are also egregiously taken out of context. It is regrettable that Murthy’s campaign on the alleged governance lapses has continually slipped into personal attacks and slander on individual Board members.
Murthy invited me to join the Board and entrusted to me the chair of the Audit Committee, while he was still the chairman. As late as February 2017, much after the alleged lapses took place, Murthy also issued a press statement that I was a man of high integrity.
John Etchemendy, former director of Infosys
Sesh is a man of impeccable integrity. Faced with unfair, false, and outrageous attacks , he has consistently responded with scrupulous honesty and forthrightness. He has been an inspiration to his fellow board members and has been the real moral compass of Infosys for the past three years. I am fully conversant with the details of the Rajiv Bansal issue and I can categorically state that at no point did Sesh say anything in public or, to the best of my knowledge, in private that was untrue or did not reflect the collective view of the Board.
Jeffrey Lehman, former of director of Infosys
I had the privilege of serving on the Infosys Board for more than eleven years, under several different chairs. During his tenure, Seshasayee was scrupulously and tirelessly devoted to ensuring that the Board comply with all applicable principles of law and governance.
An anonymous, so-called “whistleblower” made outrageous charges against management; the Board engaged several sets of outside counsel and investigators of impeccable reputation, and those investigators determined that every charge was false and without any foundation.
For the good of Infosys, I wish Murthy would stop quoting those lies as if they were reputable. For the good of Infosys, I wish Murthy would stop defaming Seshasayee and the other members of a Board who have served with dedication and integrity, who have turned the other cheek when slandered, and who have acted only in the best interests of the company.
