HCL appoints C Vijay Kumar as new CEO, to acquire Butler America Aerospace

HCL Technologies has announced the appointment of C Vijay Kumar as the new President and Chief Executive Officer taking over from Anant Kumar who is transitioning to pursue personal interests. The IT services major has also entered into an agreement to acquire Butler America Aerospace, LLC (Butler Aerospace) aiming to further strengthen its position in the aerospace and defense engineering services space.

“Vijay has been a transformational leader in the company leading from the front. His vision and flawless execution track record best positions him for taking our journey forward. I wish him all the very best”, said Shiv Nadar, Chairman, and Chief Strategy Officer, HCL Technologies.

“C Vijayakumar’s appointment reflects the maturity of HCL succession planning and practice of nurturing leadership in the technology industry. He will continue to be based in the USA, closer to our clients and key technology partners further strengthening execution of our strategy,” said the company in an official statement.

As for the acquisition of Butler America Aerospace, the deal worth $85 million “will bolster HCL's capabilities in this space and access to clients with large R&D spends,” the company said.

With over 900 engineers and seven design centers in the US, Butler Aerospace provides engineering, design services, and aftermarket engineering services to US aerospace and defense customers, providing them services in areas of mechanical and structural design, electrical design, tool design and aftermarket engineering services.

The proposed acquisition will exclude the staffing business of Butler America Inc and subject to regulatory approvals including CFIUS approval in the US, is expected to be completed by December 31, 2016.