The NRN learning

In one of those myriad water cooler trips, I overheard a colleague of mine counting his assets, and that included OfBusiness ESOPs. Likely to a suitor or their kin.

It took me down memory lane.

10 years back, NRN retired from Infosys after 30 years at the helm. In his last chairman’s address in the 2010-11 annual report, he gave many powerful, moving messages. Values and Ethics. Family and Future. Leadership and Teamwork. A must read still for many in business.

But there is one message that caught my eye back then. He says that Infosys had given away Rs. 50,000 crores (US$ 10B+) worth of ESOPs to its employees. And any Indian Infoscion who’d joined before Mar ’10 was an ESOP holder. The breadth and depth of wealth distribution was eye popping! The bar was set. For many to follow.

As I reflect on our 5-year journey, we are a team of ~500 today. 200+ have ESOPs; ~120 have exercised and liquidated to feel the wealth. Wealth that we have used for building our homes, for marriages, and for emergencies. Wealth that made life better.

As an entrepreneur, I’ve seldom seen more joy amongst us than when we see the ESOP money hit our account. The reality just hits home. And the belief that we are in meritocratic, caring, and safe hands.

Thanks to a lesson well learnt.

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