Bengaluru, July 24 -- Infosys has bet on a tried-and-tested veteran to steer the company through turbulent times, even as it reported its weakest June quarter in six years. India's second-largest IT services firm on Thursday named Ashiss Kumar Dash as CEO-designate, effective 1 April 2027, at a time when automation is sweeping across India's $300 billion IT industry. Bengaluru-based Infosys marked a slow start to the fiscal year, even though it met analysts' expectations and outperformed three of its four large rivals. The company clocked $5.08 billion in revenue in the June quarter, up 0.83% sequentially and 2.8% on a yearly basis. At a post-earnings press conference, Infosys chairman Nandan Nilekani was effusive in his praise of Dash. "He has worked in every part of Infosys, be it in delivery, be it in sales, be it in account management, starting a new data centre in Bhubaneshwar, everything, and he's someone who I think everybody likes, respects. He's an uncomplicated guy, focused on what needs to be done," Nilekani said in his first opening address in almost three years. Dash, currently executive vice-president and global head of energy, resources and services based in California, becomes Infosys's seventh chief executive, taking charge after Infosys added over $10 billion in business under Salil Parekh, who had joined in January 2018. In the June quarter, Infosys outperformed three of its peers-Tata Consultancy Services Ltd (TCS) that posted flat revenue growth, and HCL Technologies Ltd and Wipro Ltd with sequential declines of 0.9% and 1.4%. Among IT's Big Five, only Tech Mahindra fared better, with revenue growth of 2.2%. "Overall, we continue to see the macro environment remaining uncertain," Parekh said at the earnings call. Shareholders were disappointed, with Infosys shares on the New York Stock Exchange falling 5%. The earnings were reported post Indian market hours. The demand outlook echoed its larger rival TCS, which too sees no sign of the environment changing. For now, the fifth-largest firm TechM is the sole Big Five company to sound optimistic. The caution was reflected in the Infosys's guidance. The company guided for 1.5-3.0% full-year growth in constant currency terms, its weakest guidance in four quarters. Constant currency does not account for currency fluctuations. Parekh acknowledged that the business was now lumpy. The company got $417 million in revenue from advanced artificial intelligence during the June quarter. "On the AI revenue, I think it's moving so quickly that it is a bit up and down on a quarter-by-quarter basis," said Parekh, adding that the AI business was growing in double digits. The company had first announced an AI revenue of $280 million in February. While AI revenue increased, the company's headcount was 532 lower from the preceding quarter to 328,062. An uncertain demand environment is forcing many clients to defer tech spending and divert those spends into their core business. Much of this is a result of the ongoing Gulf war that has disrupted supply chains. Dash will be taking over at a time of turmoil in the tech world, but the company is betting on his skills in AI and transformation. Nilekani said Parekh had stepped into the top role during unstable times and he brought a sense of calm. "Salil has been CEO of Infosys for almost 10 years. He came (when) I don't know how many of you were there 10 years back, but he came at a time when things were slightly unstable, and he brought in calmness... He completely did the transformation for the digital era and started the AI differentiation and transformation," said Nilekani. Dash has been with Infosys for more than three decades. He joined the company in May 1995 as a senior engagement manager. Dash is expected to have a five-year term till 31 March, 2032, and work out of Bengaluru. Dash's appointment marks the first time that Infosys and Wipro both have engineering graduates at the helm. While Dash is from IIT-Kharagpur, Wipro CEO Srini Pallia is from the Indian Institute of Science, Bengaluru. Net profit fell 11% sequentially but rose 1.3% on a yearly basis to $819 million....