A.S. Murty, who previously worked as head of Satyam’s human resources department, was tapped to take over for B. Ramalinga Raju, who left last month after admitting he had been cooking the company's books for years.
“Mr. Murty is a Satyam veteran of 15 years, who has been in its forefront since Jan 1994. He brings to play a deep understanding of the organization, proven expertise in leading a business unit, overseeing global delivery, nurturing customer relationships and spearheading the entire gamut of the human resources function,” board member Deepak Parekh said in a statement.
“He is well respected for his ability to effectively integrate the team and enable a collective decision making, which will be critical as Satyam moves into its revival phase.”
The hiring of Murty contradicts previous statements by the company insinuating it was looking to hire someone from the outside.
"In our interactions over the past few weeks, we are convinced that Satyam needs an internal leader to steer it at this critical juncture," Parekh said.
People close to the situation at Satyam believe there is speculation that Murty's appointment may only be temporary, until the company is sold to a new owner, according to Computerworld. Last week, the board said it might consider a sale of Satyam to a strategic investor. If the company intended to continue operating as it is now, an industry analyst—who asked not to be identified—speculated, the board likely would have chosen a more well-known CEO.
