Coforge independent director and Nomination and Remuneration Committee chair D.K. Singh resigned on September 10, 2026, citing board tensions following the exit of former chairman O.P. Bhatt. The IT services firm rejected the claims as an unfounded afterthought, tying Singh’s departure to an internal audit review that flagged governance lapses.
The boardroom turmoil at Coforge intensified sharply as a second high-profile leader stepped down within days following an internal audit review that flagged governance issues surrounding board evaluations. D.K. Singh, who served as a non-executive independent director and Nomination and Remuneration Committee chair, submitted his resignation on September 10, 2026. His exit arrived immediately on the heels of former chairman O.P. Bhatt’s departure earlier in the week.
Resignation Letter Highlights Governance Pressures
In his resignation email, Singh pointed to the unfortunate events of the past several weeks
and the exit of Bhatt as the catalysts for his decision to step down from the IT services firm’s board. He detailed the company’s evolution since he joined in 2024, noting that the organization was transitioning from a private equity-led board to a more independent governance model.
While describing that transition as a positive step, Singh asserted that it had created some differences and tension, particularly between the Independent and Executive Directors
according to regulatory filings. He also warned that incoming board members might alter priorities regarding strategy, transparency, and compensation.
Internal Audit Review and Withheld Evaluation Findings
Coforge strongly rejected Singh’s characterization of boardroom relations. In a point-by-point regulatory filing, the company dismissed his allegations as unfounded and more pertinently appears as an afterthought
while maintaining that the board had operated with close cooperation and unanimity since 2024.
The company stated that Singh’s departure directly followed concerns uncovered during an internal audit review of the Board Evaluation Exercise for the July-September 2026 quarter. According to the audit, evaluation reports prepared by an external survey agency were routed exclusively to Bhatt and Singh, diverging from past practice by keeping other board members in the dark.
Furthermore, presentations delivered to the board omitted key findings, including the detail that the chairman’s performance category had received the lowest rating in the evaluation as detailed in company filings.
“The Board considers it important to clarify that the NRC Chair’s resignation followed the concerns identified in the internal audit review and the subsequent process undertaken by the Board to seek and consider his explanation in relation to those concerns from both the Chairman of the Board and the NRC Chair.”
Coforge Board of Directors, via Moneycontrol
Preceding Exit of Chairman O.P. Bhatt
The governance crisis follows mounting pressures on former chairman O.P. Bhatt, who stepped down earlier in the week after withholding evaluation findings from the board. Bhatt, the former State Bank of India chairman, had already faced shareholder resistance at Coforge’s Annual General Meeting on August 24.
During that vote, Bhatt failed to secure the required 75 per cent special resolution threshold for his reappointment as an independent director, managing only 65.47 per cent of votes in favor according to voting disclosures.
Leadership Restructuring and Investor Outlook
In response to the departures, Coforge moved swiftly to reorganize its leadership structure. The board appointed non-executive independent director Beth Boucher as the new chairperson of the Nomination and Remuneration Committee while also reconstituting the Stakeholders’ Relationship Committee.
Vivek Sharma stepped in as interim chair through January 31, 2027, tasked with leading a global search for additional independent directors and overseeing the election of a permanent board chair. Market reaction remained measured ahead of scheduled investor communications, with Coforge shares closing at ₹1,846.50—up ₹13.40, or 0.73 percent—on the National Stock Exchange following the announcement.
