From Fired Employee to CEO The Rise of Phaneesh Murthy

The Infosys Rise and Fall

In the 1990s, Phaneesh Murthy was Infosys’ golden boy, driving its U.S. expansion. His efforts helped revenue soar from 2millionto2millionto700 million. But in 2002, a sexual harassment lawsuit (settled out of court) led to his abrupt dismissal.

“Overnight, I went from boardrooms to headlines,” Murthy recalls. “I became untouchable.”

Rebuilding from Scratch

Murthy moved to Silicon Valley, investing savings into iGATE, a fledgling IT firm. As CEO, he pivoted the company to high-margin sectors like healthcare and banking. His “Outcome-Based Pricing” model—charging clients for results, not hours—disrupted the industry.

By 2011, iGATE’s revenue hit 1.2billion.MurthysoldittoCapgeminifor1.2billion.MurthysoldittoCapgeminifor4 billion in 2015, netting $120 million personally.

Lessons in Leadership

Today, Murthy heads Primentor, consulting startups on scaling ethically. He openly addresses his past: “Failure isn’t fatal unless you let it be.”

Key Takeaway: Setbacks are setups for comebacks. Murthy’s story proves that integrity and innovation can rewrite even the most tarnished legacies.