Board of Directors

Managing Director & CEO, a Graduate in Commerce, is the younger son of Mr. G.M. Rao and has been on the Company’s Board since 1999. He has successfully spearheaded the setting up of the greenfield Hyderabad International Airport and the development and modernization of Delhi International Airport, a major public-private partnership project. Earlier he headed the GMR Group’s Finance function and the Shared Services. Subsequently led Highways, Construction, SEZs and allied businesses (excluding Airports SEZ) and Sports. Currently he is overseeing Group Finance and Corporate Strategic Planning Department (CSPD) functions in addition to leading Sports business.

Mr. Srinivas Bommidala, a Group Director, is one of the first directors of the Company. He has been a member of the Board since 1996. He entered his family tobacco export business in 1982 and subsequently led the diversification into new businesses such as aerated water bottling plants, etc., and was also in charge of international marketing and management of the organisation. Subsequently, he led the team as the Managing Director of GMR Power Corporation Limited for setting up the first independent power project. This project with slow speed diesel technology is the world’s largest diesel engine power plant under one roof situated at Chennai in the southern part of India. He was also instrumental in implementing the combined cycle gas turbine power project in Andhra Pradesh. When the Government decided to modernise and restructure Delhi Airport under a public private partnership scheme in 2006, he became the first Managing Director of this venture and successfully handled the transition process from a public owned entity to a public private partnership enterprise. He is currently the Chairman of the energy business.

Group Director, is the elder son of Mr. G.M. Rao and has been on the Company’s Board since 1999. He completed his bachelor’s degree in commerce from Vivekananda College, University of Madras, Chennai, in 1995. He began his career as the Managing Director of GMR Energy Limited and was responsible for setting up the 220 MW barge-mounted power plant. He steered the Company’s involvement in the roads sector, led Corporate Services including fund raising initiatives and spearheaded Company’s foray into international business. He is currently the Chairman of the Airport business.

Group Director, has been associated with the Group since 1989 and is one of the first Directors of the Company. He is a graduate in Electrical Engineering from Andhra University. During his tenure with Andhra Bank before joining the Group, he gained extensive experience in the Banking Sector with specific focus in Industrial Finance. He was also on the board of Vysya Bank (now known as ING Vysya Bank Limited) for eight years. He has held various senior responsibilities in the GMR Group. He is also a Director on the GMR Group Holding Board. Currently as a Business Chairman, he heads Transportation & Urban Infrastructure covering Transportation, SEZ, EPC and Corporate Services covering Legal, Procurement, Corporate Affairs and GMR Varalakshmi Foundation. He is a Director on the Board of several subsidiaries of the GMR Group.

Mr. Madhva Bhimacharya Terdal is a Non- Executive & Non-Independent Director. He holds Post Graduate in Economics, CAIIB and DBM from Indian Institute of Bankers and has been associated with the Company for more than 19 years. He has more than 35 years of work experience including Canara Bank, Vysya Bank Limited. He has specialized experience in the fields of corporate finance, banking and investment banking. Prior to being Executive Director, he has served as “Group Chief Financial Officer” (GCFO) of GMR Group and has led various transactions of more than USD 6 Billion worth including the maiden IPO of the Company, FCCB worth of USD 300 Million “60 years Bond” from Kuwait Investment Authority and 3 QIP’s totaling 1.6 Billion (including the largest QIP of USD 1 Billion).

Mr. Suresh Narang is an Independent Director. He holds a Bachelor’s degree in Arts from University of Rajasthan, Jaipur. He has over 40 years of work experience in the field of Banking, having started his career with State Bank of India group in 1977 as a Probationary Officer. He joined Deutsche Bank AG in 1987 in Mumbai, and moved to Deutsche Bank Jakarta in 1994 to lead the Global markets business. He was appointed as Chief Country Officer of the Bank in Indonesia in 2001, and led the business franchise with a team exceeding 300 staff, till his retirement from the Bank in 2014. Subsequently, in 2015, he became a board member at Mandiri Securities, the capital markets arm of Bank Mandiri group, the largest financial services conglomerate in Indonesia, a position he held till his move to Singapore in 2018.

Mr. Narang has a deep knowledge of capital markets and investment banking, coupled with a strong grounding in corporate governance. Currently based in Singapore, Mr. Narang is engaged in supporting startups in the shared experience sector.

Dr. Emandi Sankara Rao is an Independent Director. He holds a Bachelor Degree specialisation in Electrical & Electronics Engineering from Andhra University, Post Graduate Degree M. Tech in Systems Reliability & Quality Engineering from IIT -Kharagpur, and PGDBA in Management from Pondicherry Central University. He has done his doctorate degree Ph. D from IIT-Bombay in Project Finance & Management on International Telecommunications Networks Effectiveness using the Stochastic & Artificial Intelligence ANN Simulation Models and he is also a Chartered Engineer (Valuations) from Institution of Engineers India.

He is having 30 years of top management around 9 years of Board Level Management and Institutional Development experience & expertise in Infrastructure & Industry, Banking & Finance and Business Schools & Institutions. Served in prestigious Govt. of India All India Developmental Financial Institutions like IFCI Ltd & Subsidiaries, IIFCL & Subsidiaries, IDFC, IDBI, MDI and ILD and had been the MD&CEO of IFCI Limited.

As part of returning back to society Dr. E S Rao has been contributing to the society with dedication through his ISR activities for over 25 years and serving the poor and needy people in areas passionate to him like Healthcare, Education, Girl Child Development and Skill Development and also mentoring the young professionals for their start-up’s by guiding them with research, innovation, strategy and teaching.

Dr. Mundayat Ramachandran is an Independent Director. He is a retired IAS officer of the 1972 batch. He has done B.A. in History and Economics and M.A in Economics, from University of Kerala. He has also done M.Phil - Economic Planning, University of Glasgow, UK and holds a Doctorate of Philosophy in Project Planning from University of Lucknow.

He is having around 40 years of cross sector apex level policy making experience and field level implementation exposure in India, served both at the central and state government level. He has also worked on secondment to the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), India. As Secretary to Government of India, Ministry of Urban Development, he spearheaded the country’s urban sector policies, reforms and initiatives widely recognized as a landmark period in transforming India’s cities. At state level he had held various senior positions including that of Chief Secretary of Government of Uttarakhand and Infrastructure Development Commissioner. He was also the Chairman of the Metro Rail Corporations of Delhi, Kolkata, Bangalore, Chennai at different point in time. He has authored 10 books, mainly on the subject of Urban and Infrastructure Development.

Mr. Sadhu Ram Bansal is an Independent Director. He is M.A in English, CAIIB, AIIBF. He is a professional banker and a competent administrator with over 34 years of extensive experience in Banking in various capacities. He is also Independent Director on the Board of other companies. He has been the Chairman & Managing Director of Corporation Bank, Executive Director of Punjab National Bank, Field General Manager and other posts at Dena Bank, Chief General Manager / General Manager of India Infrastructure Finance Company Ltd. (IIFCL). Mr. Bansal had won many awards and accolades during his stint as Banker. He was also appointed as Chairman/ Member in various governing councils and committees.

Mr. Amarthaluru Subba Rao is an Independent Director. He is a commerce graduate and a Chartered Accountant. He has an established and proven track record in finance leadership, end to end expertise in various facets of finance function, built over 35 years of experience in industry segments such audit practice, manufacturing, financial services and infrastructure. Among other positions, he has been the Managing Director-Finance-Sanamar Group, Executive Director – Finance & Strategy at CLP India during the period from May 2016 to April 2020, Group CFO in RPG Group during the period from August 2013 to May 2016 and Group CFO in GMR Group during his stint in GMR Group from December 1999 to August 2013.

He has contributed to Chartered Accountancy professional development by taking responsibilities in some committees constituted by ICAI and also contributed to the Infra Industry development by working on some committees constituted by the Government of India.

Ms. Bijal Tushar Ajinkya is an Independent Director. She has done LL.M. in International Law from University of Mumbai. She is a partner in Khaitan & Co. in the Direct Tax, Private Client and Investment Funds Practice Groups in their Mumbai office. With over 20 years of experience, on the tax side, Ms. Ajinkya primarily focuses on international tax, structuring of inbound and outbound investments, M&A tax negotiations, providing opinions on complex tax issues on international tax, etc.

On the tax litigation front, she has immense experience in providing advice on unique litigation strategies and has been a lead advisor in many successful and path breaking tax litigations in India. She had led many successful international tax litigation in India; on the India-Mauritius Tax Treaty- Azadi Bachao Andolan, Applicability of Minimum Alternate Tax for foreign Portfolio Investors, etc. She has also served as an expert witness on Indian tax matters in an international arbitration. She assists HNIs and their businesses on their succession planning needs.