NAME: S. GOPALAKRISHNAN AGE: 51 DESIGNATION: CEO & MD designate COMPANY: Infosys Technologies

For S. Gopalakrishnan, who is set to take over as CEO and managing director of Infosys Technologies on June 22-from his current position as coo and Joint MD-it is his moment under the sun. One of the seven founders of the company, Gopalakrishnan, universally called Kris, is a quiet and polite-to-a-fault man. Unlike his two predecessors and co-founders who have led the company before him-the iconic and plain speaking N.R. Narayana Murthy and the charismatic and suave Nandan Nilekani-Kris is a quintessential backroom boy, happy to get things done and ensure seamless execution away from the spotlight. And while he is known to be as erudite and articulate as his predecessors, he does not command the same cult status as Narayana Murthy or exude the forceful leadership of Nilekani.

But he also has big achievements under his belt. Not many are aware that for a long time (from 1987 to 1994) it was Kris who was the public face of Infosys in the crucial North American market from where it still derives more than 60 per cent of its revenues, when he ran the company's joint venture with Kurt Salmon Associates. Though the JV did not pan out, it provided Infosys with critical insights into the market and taught Kris the importance of quality and innovation-aspects that he was able to inculcate into Infosys.

For this IIT Madras alum and gizmo freak (his favourite accessory is his iPod), his turn at leading the company could not have come at a better time. With revenues of Rs 13,893 crore, a growth of 46 per cent over the previous year, and a net profit of Rs 3,850 crore, up 56 per cent year on year, the company is enjoying some of the best times in its 25-year history. The challenge will be to sustain and accelerate this growth.

Aware of the weight of expectations and the fact that both Nilekani and Murthy will be looking over his shoulders, Gopalakrishnan says: "My focus will be to make Infosys more competitive, increase productivity further, continue to be a leader in corporate governance, attract the best of global talent and enhance brand equity further." Those are difficult targets, but then Infosys and its founders have always reset the bar higher and higher.

-Venkatesha Babu