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Wipro Cuts FY26 Fresher Hiring Outlook After Soft Q3 Performance

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Wipro has scaled back its fresher recruitment plans for the ongoing financial year FY26, now expecting to hire 7,500–8,000 graduates, compared to its earlier guidance of 10,000–12,000. The revision follows a subdued performance in the third quarter, during which the IT major onboarded only around 400 freshers. Addressing analysts during the company’s Q3 earnings call, Saurabh Govil, Chief Human Resources Officer at Wipro, said campus hiring remained slow in the quarter, prompting the company to reassess its annual intake target. Despite the moderation, Wipro’s cumulative fresher hiring for the year so far has crossed 5,000. While overall volume hiring has eased, the company is sharpening its focus on AI and deep-tech talent. Wipro has partnered with universities to set up nearly 50 Centres of Excellence, where it co-develops specialised curricula in areas such as artificial intelligence, cybersecurity and data analytics, and recruits students trained through these programmes. The company is also offering premiums for candidates with relevant client-facing experience and investing heavily in upskilling existing employees through certifications. During the October–December quarter, Wipro added 6,529 employees, taking its total workforce to 2,42,021. The headcount increase was largely due to the integration of the Harman DTS acquisition and the rebadging of staff from a major deal signed in the previous fiscal year. On compensation, Wipro said decisions on salary hikes are still under consideration. Financially, the company reported a 7% year-on-year drop in consolidated net profit to ₹3,119 crore in Q3 FY26, impacted by one-time restructuring costs and the implementation of labour codes. Revenue from operations, however, grew 5.5% to ₹23,555.8 crore, up from ₹22,318.8 crore in the same quarter last year. Source: PTI  

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Mahindra & Mahindra Announces HR Leadership Transition; Rohit Thakur to Succeed Ruzbeh Irani

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Mahindra & Mahindra on Friday revealed a significant leadership transition in its human resources function, announcing that Rohit Thakur will assume the role of Group Chief Human Resources Officer (CHRO) from 2 April 2026. He will succeed Ruzbeh Irani, who is set to retire after completing more than 19 years with the company. The change is part of Mahindra’s well-defined succession planning process to ensure continuity and stability in senior leadership. Irani, a key member of the Mahindra Group Executive Board, will step down on 1 April 2026 following his superannuation. The company acknowledged his nearly two decades of service, crediting him for his significant role in shaping the group’s HR strategy and people-centric culture. Following the announcement, Mahindra & Mahindra shares were trading at ₹3,714.55, down ₹9.60 or 0.26%, at around 9:35 am. Rohit Thakur, who currently serves as CHRO for Mahindra’s Auto and Farm sectors, brings with him wide-ranging global HR experience. His career includes senior HR leadership roles at Microsoft India and Accenture, where he handled large-scale talent strategies, operations and cultural transformation initiatives. Thakur has also worked with GE across multiple businesses in India and the United States, and has led HR functions at fast-growing startups such as Paytm and LEAD School. Academically, he holds a commerce degree from Shri Ram College of Commerce (SRCC), Delhi, and an MBA in Human Resources from XLRI, Jamshedpur. With Thakur’s appointment, Mahindra & Mahindra said it aims to further strengthen its focus on talent development, leadership continuity and organizational growth. Source: Economic Times

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CIEL HR Services Raises ₹30 Crore from Zoho, Pegasus and Others Ahead of IPO

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Chennai-based CIEL HR Services has raised ₹30 crore from a group of 88 investors in a pre-IPO funding round, with participation from Zoho Corporation, Pegasus India, and Standard Fireworks, as the company gears up for its proposed public listing. In an official disclosure, the human resources solutions firm said it allotted 27,27,272 equity shares at ₹110 per share, aggregating the total fundraise to ₹30 crore. The pre-IPO placement received board approval on November 17, followed by shareholder clearance at an extraordinary general meeting on November 28. Alongside Pegasus India Evolving Opportunities Fund, Zoho Corporation and Standard Fireworks, the investor base includes prominent names such as Rajashekar Reddy Seelam (founder of 24 Mantra Organic), Prime Securities, KTV Kannan of KTV Group, Sri Kaliswari Fireworks, the Pothys family office, AIKYAM Capital, NS Rajan, and leadership expert Abhijit Bhaduri, among others. As per its draft red herring prospectus (DRHP), CIEL HR Services’ IPO will consist of a fresh issue worth ₹335 crore along with an offer for sale (OFS) of 47.4 lakh shares by promoters and other existing shareholders. The company plans to deploy the fresh issue proceeds to increase its stakes in subsidiaries including Firstventure Corporation, Integrum Technologies, Next Leap Career Solutions, People Metrics, and Thomas Assessments. Funds will also be used to meet working capital needs, pursue inorganic growth opportunities, and cover general corporate expenses. Additionally, CIEL intends to invest in five subsidiaries—CCIEL Skills and Careers, FirstVenture Corporation, Integrum Technologies, Ma Foi Strategic Consultants, and Next Leap Career Solutions—to strengthen and scale their learning and talent development platforms. Founded in Chennai, CIEL HR Services provides a technology-led, end-to-end HR solutions portfolio, covering the entire employee lifecycle, from talent acquisition and assessment to learning, skilling, and workforce management. Source: PTI

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Ambani rolls out draft Reliance AI Manifesto, eyes 10x productivity leap and nationwide impact

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Reliance Industries Chairman Mukesh Ambani has unveiled a draft Reliance AI Manifesto, laying out a sweeping plan to reposition the conglomerate as an AI-native deep-tech enterprise while aiming for a tenfold boost in productivity across its workforce of over six lakh employees. The initiative also targets a 10x impact on India’s economy and society. Describing artificial intelligence as “the most consequential technological development in human history,” Ambani said Reliance intends to spearhead India’s AI journey, much as it played a central role in the country’s digital transformation. The group’s stated mission is to deliver “Affordable AI for every Indian”, embedding AI across businesses while ensuring safety, trust and accountability. According to Ambani, the manifesto is not a slogan but a practical action guide. “At Reliance, we are transforming ourselves into an AI-native deep-tech company with advanced manufacturing capabilities,” he said, adding that the draft manifesto will steer this transformation. Internal transformation through AI Part I of the manifesto focuses on reshaping Reliance’s internal operations. AI is positioned not as a standalone technology initiative but as a fundamentally new way of working. The group plans to reorganise around outcomes and end-to-end workflows, supported by shared digital platforms and robust governance frameworks. AI and agentic automation will be deployed to reduce repetitive tasks, enhance decision-making, and improve speed and quality, while maintaining clear human accountability. Execution will be driven by small, cross-functional teams or “pods” with defined ownership and measurable goals, supported by continuous data, learning, operations and automation systems. Core workflows such as procure-to-pay, order-to-cash, hire-to-retire and plant-to-port will be redesigned to eliminate manual handoffs, close digital gaps and enable real-time visibility. Ambani stressed that AI will augment human capability rather than replace jobs, saying the focus is on raising standards and unlocking collective potential. A common 12-layer Digital Functional Core (DFC) will standardise data, integration, security and controls across Reliance businesses, while allowing individual units autonomy over their platforms. Governance, audit trails and human-in-the-loop mechanisms will be embedded to balance speed with safety, compliance and trust. Driving India’s AI-led growth Part II extends the vision beyond Reliance, positioning the group as a catalyst for India’s broader AI transformation. Ambani said that just as AI can deliver a 10x improvement in efficiency and outcomes within Reliance, it can also generate a similar multiplier effect for the country through the group’s businesses and philanthropic efforts. Employees have been invited to submit ideas on AI applications across Reliance’s diverse portfolio—from Jio’s 500-million-plus subscribers and the country’s largest retail network to energy, materials, life sciences, financial services, media and philanthropy. Ambani also pointed to opportunities in indigenous AI hardware, robotics and cross-sector innovation to boost efficiency, sustainability and technological self-reliance. Ideas can be submitted between January 10 and 26, after which the manifesto is expected to evolve into a shared organisational commitment. “Let us begin—together,” Ambani said, calling on employees to help build “a New Reliance and a New India.” Source: PTI

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IndiGo Increases Pilot Allowances Amid Staffing Challenges and New Duty Norms

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IndiGo has revised and increased allowances for its pilots by up to ₹2,000, with the changes taking effect from January 1, according to sources. The move comes weeks after the airline faced widespread flight disruptions triggered by pilot rostering issues. The disruptions were largely attributed to inadequate preparedness in implementing the revised Flight Duty Time Limitations (FDTL) norms, which restrict the number of night landings a pilot can undertake. These changes reportedly forced IndiGo to cancel over 1,600 flights in a single day earlier this month. In response to the new regulations, which require more pilots for night operations, the airline has enhanced several allowance categories. The revised allowances—ranging from ₹25 to ₹2,000—cover domestic layovers, night operations, deadhead duties, and a newly introduced tail-swap allowance. Tail-swap refers to replacing a scheduled aircraft with another aircraft. Sources said the tail-swap allowance was not available earlier and has been introduced as part of the latest revision. IndiGo has not issued an official statement on the matter. Under the new structure, a captain on a domestic layover of 10.01 to 24 hours will receive ₹3,000, up from ₹2,000. For first officers, the allowance has been raised to ₹1,500 from ₹1,000. Beyond 24 hours, captains will now earn ₹150 per additional hour, while first officers will get ₹75 per hour, up from ₹100 and ₹50 respectively. Night allowances per hour have been increased to ₹2,000 for captains and ₹1,000 for first officers. Deadhead allowance per scheduled block hour has also gone up—to ₹4,000 from ₹3,000 for captains and to ₹2,000 from ₹1,500 for first officers. Meal allowance during transit for captains has doubled to ₹1,000. However, sources noted that the latest increase recovers only about 25 per cent of the allowances that were cut following the implementation of the second phase of the FDTL norms in November. Following the recent operational disruptions, aviation regulator DGCA directed IndiGo to reduce its winter flight schedule by 10 per cent. As per government data shared in Parliament, IndiGo employed 5,085 pilots as of December 8. Source: PTI

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SBI Inducts 541 Probationary Officers to Build Future-Ready Leadership Pipeline

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State Bank of India (SBI), the country’s largest lender, on Friday announced the onboarding of 541 probationary officers (POs) following the declaration of final results of its recruitment examination. The large-scale recruitment aims to bring in young and dynamic professionals into SBI’s junior management cadre, strengthening its leadership pipeline and reinforcing its long-term commitment to excellence in banking services, the bank said in a statement. This intake follows the recruitment of 505 probationary officers in June 2025, highlighting SBI’s continued focus on enhancing its human capital. The newly selected officers will be posted across the country in various business verticals, with select opportunities for international assignments. They will also be placed on a structured career progression path leading to senior and top management roles. The latest hiring is part of SBI’s broader recruitment plan for FY26, under which the bank intends to onboard around 18,000 employees, marking one of the largest recruitment drives in the banking sector. SBI Chairman C S Setty said that the overall recruitment plan includes nearly 13,500 clerical positions, around 3,000 probationary officers and local-based officers across categories. He added that the bank is focused on strengthening its workforce through structured skill development programmes aligned with evolving customer needs and technological advancements. With a workforce of over 2.46 lakh employees, SBI remains one of the largest recruiters in the banking industry, continuing its focus on creating meaningful employment while building capabilities in line with changing business, technology and customer expectations. Source: PTI

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Nestlé India Names Nitu Bhushan as New Head of Human Resources

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Nestlé India has announced the appointment of Nitu Bhushan as its new Head of Human Resources, effective March 2, 2026. The decision was disclosed in a regulatory filing to the BSE dated December 10. Bhushan joins from Pernod Ricard, where she served as Chief Human Resources Officer. At 47, Bhushan brings more than 22 years of cross-industry HR experience, having worked across FMCG, pharmaceuticals, banking, and technology sectors. She holds a Master’s degree in Personnel Management and a Bachelor’s degree in Engineering (Electronics & Telecommunication). Over the course of her career, she has held senior HR roles at organisations such as Pernod Ricard India, Accenture, Asian Paints, HSBC Bank, Mondelez International, and Abbott. Bhushan will succeed Anurag Patnaik, who has decided to step down from the company effective December 31, 2025. Patnaik, a Nestlé India veteran of over two decades, was appointed Head of HR in February 2021 after joining the company as a management trainee in 2005. Her appointment comes amid a broader leadership transition at Nestlé India, with several senior-level changes planned over the next 15 months across finance, technical, and legal functions. Recently, the company announced that Chief Financial Officer Svetlana Boldina will relinquish her role on January 31, 2026, to take up a new assignment within a Nestlé group entity. Her successor is yet to be named. In the technical function, Executive Director Satish Srinivasan is set to retire on May 31, 2026. He will be succeeded by Jagdeep Singh Marahar as Whole-Time Director, effective June 1, 2026, who will also take charge as Head of Technical. Marahar, currently Managing Director of Nestlé R&D Centre India, has nearly three decades of experience with the company and holds advanced qualifications in food technology and agriculture. The legal and strategy verticals are also witnessing leadership exits. Venkateswaran T.S., General Counsel and Head of Legal & Compliance, will retire after more than 30 years in corporate legal leadership, while Sanjay Bahadur, Executive Vice President and Head of Group Strategy and Business Development, retired in November. Nestlé India said all proposed leadership changes will be placed before the Board of Directors for approval, based on recommendations from the Nomination and Remuneration Committee. The company has outlined extended transition timelines to ensure smooth succession and business continuity. Industry analysts view these changes as part of a strategic realignment as the company navigates evolving market conditions, regulatory pressures, and digital transformation in the FMCG sector. The leadership reshuffle also follows Nestlé SA’s recent announcement of a global restructuring plan that includes cutting 16,000 jobs over two years under its new CEO, Philipp Navratil, to sharpen focus on higher-margin products. Source: Financial Times

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Microsoft Drops Diversity and Inclusion as Core Criteria in Employee Reviews

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Microsoft has removed diversity and inclusion as mandatory companywide priorities in employee performance evaluations, signalling a major shift from the commitments it amplified after the 2020 George Floyd protests, according to reports from The Verge and Game File. The update, rolled out last month through Microsoft’s internal Connect system, eliminates required questions that previously asked employees to outline how their work contributed to a “more diverse and inclusive Microsoft.” These DEI-related prompts, along with similar security-impact questions, were once integral to annual reviews. The company announced the revision quietly via a Viva Engage post, describing it as part of a “simplification” of its core priorities—now simply called “goals.” Adding to the changes, Wired reported that Microsoft will not release its annual diversity and inclusion report this year, ending more than a decade of public transparency on workforce representation. Chief Communications Officer Frank Shaw said the company is moving toward “more dynamic and accessible” storytelling formats, even as internal HR documents now refer only to “inclusion,” not “diversity.” The policy shift comes after growing political pressure, including an executive order by former President Donald Trump targeting corporate DEI programs. Microsoft had already laid off its internal DEI team in July 2024, with the team lead reportedly noting that such initiatives were no longer considered “business critical” as they were in 2020. Employee reactions to the latest rollback have been divided. Some workers told The Verge the initial DEI requirements always felt “performative,” while others saw the retreat as expected—especially after CEO Satya Nadella invited Elon Musk to speak at Microsoft Build, angering employee groups like GLEAM, which represents LGBTQIA+ staff and allies. Despite these moves, Microsoft spokesperson Jeff Jones maintained: “Our D&I commitments remain unchanged. Our focus on diversity and inclusion is unwavering.” Source: TOI

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LIC Appoints Ramakrishnan Chander as Managing Director

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State-owned Life Insurance Corporation of India (LIC) has appointed Ramakrishnan Chander as its new Managing Director, effective December 1, 2025. Before this appointment, Chander served as Executive Director (Investment – Front Office) and Chief Investment Officer at LIC. Chander, who joined LIC in 1990 as an Assistant Administrative Officer, brings over 35 years of experience in marketing and administration. His career has spanned roles including Senior Divisional Manager, Regional Manager (Marketing), Regional Manager (P&GS), and he also led LIC’s Strategic Business Unit – International Operations as Executive Director. He is a graduate and a Fellow of the Insurance Institute of India. The appointment comes as LIC continues to report strong financial performance. In Q2FY26, the company recorded a 31% YoY growth in consolidated net profit, reaching Rs 10,098 crore, up from Rs 7,728 crore in the same period last year. Net premium income rose 5.5% to Rs 1,26,930 crore compared with Rs 1,20,326 crore in Q2FY25. During the quarter, LIC’s first-year premium stood at Rs 10,884 crore, while renewal premium grew to Rs 65,320 crore. Single premiums were at Rs 50,882 crore, slightly down from the previous quarter but higher than the year-ago period. For H1FY26, LIC reported a 16% YoY rise in PAT to Rs 21,040 crore, with total premium income reaching Rs 2,45,680 crore. Notably, Individual Business Non-Par APE surged 30.47% YoY to Rs 6,234 crore, with its share in individual business increasing to 36.31% from 26.31% in H1FY25. Source: Economic Times

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McKinsey Cuts 200 Tech Jobs as AI Takes Over More Roles

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McKinsey & Co. has laid off around 200 technology employees over the past week as it accelerates the use of AI to automate internal functions. According to sources, the firm may implement additional job reductions across various teams over the next two years as it evaluates which tasks can be fully handled by AI systems. A spokesperson said the company is focused on improving efficiency through AI-enabled workflows, calling the technology a major driver of “unprecedented opportunity and impact” for both the firm and its clients. Global Managing Partner Bob Sternfels previously stated that McKinsey will continue investing in client-facing roles, while tightening headcount in other areas. The firm currently employs about 40,000 people, including roughly 3,000 partners. The broader consulting industry is facing economic pressures, from tighter corporate budgets to policy shifts. Rival Accenture Plc has also warned that US federal spending cuts may slow growth next year. CEO Julie Sweet noted that the company is reducing roles that cannot be retrained as it expands AI-driven services. AI’s rapid advancement is reshaping the global workforce. Analysts at Bloomberg Intelligence estimate that banks worldwide could cut up to 200,000 jobs within five years due to automation. At the same time, major lenders like Citigroup Inc. forecast AI could add $170 billion to industry earnings by 2028, with more than half of banking roles carrying high automation potential. Source: Bloomberg

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