Infosys ropes in Carlos Alcaraz as global brand ambassador: ‘Now Carlos needs to play 70 hours a week’
Infosys recently announced that 7-time Grand Slam winner Carlos Alcaraz has joined the company as its global brand ambassador. In a statement, the company labelled the collaboration as “a true convergence of excellence.”
While fans are excited about this new role taken up by the youngest athlete ever to achieve the World No. 1 ranking in men’s tennis, many reacted to the news with hilarity. Some were reminded of Narayana Murthy’s controversial 70-hour workweek remark.
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What did social media say?
An individual joked, “Now Carlos needs to play at least 70 hours per week.” Another added, “Bro has to play 70 hours per week now, else he will be removed.”
A third commented, “70 hours or they’ll take him to court?” A fourth wrote, “Now Carlos Alcaraz has to work 70 hours a week , else he will be sacked.”
What was the 70-hour workweek row?
Infosys co-founder and former CEO Narayana Murthy sparked a debate on work-life balance after he made a remark on how to increase India’s work productivity. During his conversation with former Infosys CFO Mohandas Pai, he said, “If we want to compete with the fastest growing countries like China and Japan, we need to boost up our work productivity. At the moment, India’s work productivity is very low. The government also must reduce the time it takes for decision-making and curb corruption in bureaucracy.” He added, “Our youngsters need to work for at least 70 hours a week.”
His remark divided the internet, with industry leaders either supporting or speaking up against it.
Carlos Alcaraz on being Infosys ambassador:
“I’m honored to partner with Infosys; a company I’ve followed closely and admired for how it is transforming tennis through technology. Innovations delivered by them are elevating the sport for everyone – players, coaches, and fans alike. At the highest level, it’s often the small details that make the biggest difference. I’m always looking for new ways to improve, and working with Infosys will give me the opportunity to leverage data and AI to gain deeper insights into my game and push my performance to new heights. Beyond the court, I’m also excited to collaborate with Infosys through my foundation, leveraging technology to make a meaningful impact in communities around the world,” the champion athlete said in a statement.
Talking about the new partnership, Sumit Virmani, Global Chief Marketing Officer, Infosys, said, “We are delighted to welcome Carlos Alcaraz as our Global Brand Ambassador. Carlos embodies the spirit of a new generation that is fearless, agile, and driven to push boundaries in pursuit of excellence. At Infosys, we share this passion for innovation and progress, using technology to amplify human potential, and helping our clients achieve extraordinary outcomes. Together with Carlos, we look forward to redefining performance in tennis and inspiring progress both on and off the court.”
Infosys’ announcement on Carlos Alcaraz:
The company in a statement said, “Infosys (NSE, BSE, NYSE: INFY), a global leader in AI-first business consulting and technology services, today announced a multi-year partnership with the youngest athlete ever to achieve the World No. 1 ranking in men’s tennis Carlos Alcaraz, welcoming him as its Global Brand Ambassador. The collaboration is a true convergence of excellence – the relentlessness and grit of a champion combined with the consistency and AI-powered innovation of an enterprise technology leader – celebrating the champion mindset across tennis and global businesses.”
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It added, “Beyond the court, the partnership also extends to joint initiatives between Infosys and the Carlos Alcaraz Foundation. Together, they will leverage technology to drive social impact, focusing on tech-for-good initiatives.”