"Our growth journey continues with remarkable consistency
this year marked our 20th consecutive quarter of growth. I want to recognise all our
employees for their dedication and their families for their unwavering support."
Anand Deshpande
Founder, Chairman and Managing Director
Dear Fellow Shareowners,
It is a pleasure to share with you our 35th Annual Report for the
Financial Year 2024-25. With immense gratitude, I am delighted to share that what started
as an idea 35 years ago is now a Company with more than 24,500 employees and $1.4 billion
in revenue. The journey continues as we march steadily towards becoming a $2 billion
business.
We didn't get here alone. Not even close.
I still remember the early days of Persistent. We had big dreams but
limited resources. What made the difference was our employees and their exceptional
technical skills, and our clients' unwavering belief in us. Talented people who were
willing to join us, and visionary clients were willing to take a chance on a small company
in Pune with big dreams. I remain deeply grateful to the nearly 95,000 employees and the
more than 4,500 clients who have contributed to our success and helped shape our journey
over the last 35 years.
This year also marks the 15th anniversary of our IPO and listing on the
National Stock Exchange of India Limited and BSE Limited. I extend my heartfelt
appreciation to all investors for your steadfast support in making the Persistent stock
one of the best-performing stocks since listing. Your confidence has created substantial
wealth for all of us as shareowners. I am especially proud of the wealth we have generated
for our employees through our employee stock option plans.
As we look ahead, I'm excited about where we go next. Technology is
evolving at an unprecedented pace. AI, cloud, and data science are powerful tools that we
are deploying to solve our clients' most complex challenges. In a fast-changing and
exponentially evolving world, continuous learning is critical. We have invested
significantly in training our workforce, equipping them with innovative AI
capabilities.This foundation has enabled us to develop our focused AI strategy AI
for Technology and AI for Business and we are now confidently executing this
vision,
Re(AI)magining the World one client at a time, starting with
ourselves as Client Zero.
Our growth journey continues with remarkable consistency this
year marked our 20th consecutive quarter of growth. I want to recognise all our employees
for their dedication and their families for their unwavering support. The industry has
taken notice and acknowledged our efforts and consistency, with our CEO and Executive
Director, Sandeep Kalra, recognised as a Tech Titan by Business Today India.
As I look ahead, the market and our clients will expect even more from
us. Our teams are ready, and I am confident they will exceed these expectations.
As responsible corporate citizens, giving back to our community is core
to our DNA. We have systematically distributed 1% of our profits to Corporate Social
Responsibility initiatives for more than 30 years, and since 2009, Persistent Foundation
has led our CSR efforts. I am proud of the Foundation's impactful work in education,
healthcare, community development, wildlife conservation, and heritage preservation.
Beyond funding, thousands of our employees volunteer their time to make
a meaningful difference in society. Our ESG commitment has also gained recognition, and we
are now a top member of the Dow Jones World Sustainability Index.
Throughout this remarkable journey, you, our shareowners, have been
true partners in our growth story. Your patience during our early years, your faith in our
vision when we were still proving ourselves, and your continued confidence as we scale new
heights have been instrumental to our success. Many of you have held our stock for years,
believing in our long-term potential even when quarterly results may have tested that
conviction. This partnership approach where shareowners, employees, and the
management work together towards shared prosperity has been fundamental to creating
the value we celebrate today. Your support extends beyond capital; it represents a shared
commitment to building something enduring and meaningful.
Finally, I would like to express my heartfelt gratitude to all our
employees who bring passion and excellence to their work every day, to our clients who
trust us with their most important initiatives, to our partners who amplify our
capabilities and extend our reach, and to our vendors and suppliers who enable our
operations with their reliability and quality. Each of you plays an indispensable role in
our continued success, and your unwavering support and collaboration make our shared
achievements possible.
With best regards, |
Anand Deshpande |
Founder, Chairman and Managing Director |