CIO Influence Interview with Rafee Tarafdar, EVP and Chief Technology Officer, Infosys

Rafee Tarafdar, EVP and Chief Technology Officer, at Infosys chats about the future of the IT industry, Infosys’s new client engagements and transformation journey, and today’s digital transformation challenges that most companies face.

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Hi Rafee! Please walk us through your journey to becoming the CTO at Infosys, and share some of the key learnings you’ve gathered along the way.

I am a mechanical engineer by education but began my career as a software engineering in product engineering building CAD/CAM and banking products. I then joined Infosys as an architect 20 years ago. During these 20 years, I have led several large complex transformation programs across the globe. I formally stepped into the CTO role about three years ago. I am largely responsible for the technology vision and strategy, sensing and scaling emerging technologies, advising and partnering with clients to help them succeed in their transformation journey and building high technology talent density. I also lead the architecture and technology strategy for all the business and technology.

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My top 3 learnings are:

1) Small changes, when done consistently over a period of time, can lead to a big transformation

2) Always be open to unlearn and learn as the tech evolution cycle is shortening significantly

3) Build high tech talent density to make exponential impact.

Describe the impact of the Strategic Technology Group on Infosys’s approach to large-scale cloud and digital transformations. What key challenges did you face?

I founded the Strategic Technology Group 8 years back, with the objective of building full stack engineering capabilities in the company. To accomplish this, I created a new stream of enterprise architects and power programmers who work on complex cloud and digital transformation initiatives. We are working on increasing the tech talent density in the company. The group is driving the move towards a deep tech engineering culture. For these new age roles, we incubated a new line of business with 3,000+ power programmers and full stack architects helping win very large deals, strategic and complex global programs and co-innovations with clients.

The Live Enterprise program is a hallmark of Infosys’s internal transformation. What inspired the creation of this program, and how has it influenced Infosys’s approach to client engagements and their transformation journeys?

When our co-founder Mr. Nandan Nilekani, returned to Infosys as our chairman, he wanted to make Infosys a cloud and digital native company. This led us to develop the vision for a live enterprise that is continuously learning and evolving. Live Enterprise is Infosys’ transformation, reimagining the experience, processes and systems to make Infosys a digital native company. This transformation was done with a platform mindset, through a series of micro changes delivered every six weeks. We built a shared digital infrastructure for the company which enables it to be more agile, drive velocity in taking ideas and innovations to market and enabling an anytime anywhere operating model. The 200+ shared digital infrastructure services and micro platforms were monetized by implementing them as SAAS/PAAS platforms for enterprise clients and using the IP/assets to accelerate digital and cloud transformation journeys for our clients.

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Can you talk about the emerging trends that will shape the future of the IT industry in the next five years? How is Infosys positioning itself to capitalize on these trends?

 The key emerging trends we are focusing on are on Generative AI, Quantum Computing, Autonomous Tech & Robotics, Green Computing, XR/AR/VR, Space Tech and Frugal Computing.

Infosys’ emerging center of technology is researching and incubating IP/solutions in these spaces and working with larger Infosys teams and clients to make it scalable across the enterprise.

AI is central to Infosys’s offerings. What future role do you envision for AI in enterprise solutions and business operations?

We believe AI will become a general-purpose technology; it cannot just be done by centralized teams. Further, enterprises will begin adopting an AI-first strategy, concentrating on

1) strengthening the IT landscape,

2) reimagining processes and experiences,

3) transforming talent and

4) ensuring a responsible by design framework from privacy to explainability to compliance.

Enterprises will begin developing specialized AI models tailored to their core business areas. Future AI value lies in the integration of frontier models with these specialized solutions.

Highlight how Infosys is integrating sustainability into its technology and business strategies.

 Infosys continuously strives to improve energy efficiency, increase the use of renewable energy, enhance water sustainability, reduce waste-to-landfills and contribute to biodiversity driven by innovation and focused efforts. The company strives to build strategic alliances and forge partnerships with industry bodies and consortiums at the local, national and international levels. As an organization working hard to reduce its carbon footprint, cut emission intensity and share data transparently, Infosys is one of America’s Climate Leaders of 2024.

What are the common myths about the role of CTO you’d like to debunk?

 A few common myths are –

1) CTO is just a tech expert,

2) CTO focuses only on big picture thinking and

3) CTO knows every technology, stack and language

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