Greaves Cotton Limited has announced a significant change in its senior finance leadership, with Manish Poddar set to assume the role of Group Chief Financial Officer effective March 19, 2026. The appointment was approved by the company's Board of Directors at a meeting held on March 13, 2026, at its corporate office in Lower Parel, Mumbai. The board meeting commenced at 9:45 a.m. and concluded at 10:30 a.m. IST.
The leadership change follows the resignation of Akhila Balachandar, who had been serving as CFO and Key Managerial Personnel of the company. Balachandar submitted her resignation letter to Managing Director Parag Satpute on February 19, 2026, citing personal reasons and other priorities. In her letter, she expressed gratitude to the Chairman, members of the Board of Directors, and the management team for their assistance and support during her tenure. She also stated her commitment to ensuring a smooth transition to aid seamless continuation of the organisation's operations, and requested that the necessary regulatory forms be submitted to the Registrar of Companies.
Poddar brings more than 25 years of experience spanning finance, treasury, investor relations, governance, and strategic business partnering. He has previously held the CFO position at GMM Pfaudler Limited, a globally recognised process equipment manufacturer, and at GreenCell Mobility Private Limited, a company operating in the electric and clean mobility space.
Earlier in his career, he held senior finance leadership roles at Diversey India Hygiene Private Limited, Ranbaxy/Sun Pharmaceutical Industries Limited, and Louis Dreyfus India Limited, giving him exposure across diverse industries including pharmaceuticals, commodities, and hygiene products.
On the academic front, Poddar holds a Chartered Accountant designation from the Institute of Chartered Accountants of India, an Executive MBA with a specialisation in Finance, and a bachelor's degree from the University of Delhi. His cross-sector experience and financial credentials are expected to be relevant as Greaves Cotton continues to navigate its strategic priorities.
The appointment was made on the recommendation of both the Nomination and Remuneration Committee and the Audit Committee, reflecting standard corporate governance practice for senior leadership hires of this nature. The disclosure was made pursuant to Regulation 30 of SEBI's Listing Obligations and Disclosure Requirements Regulations, 2015, read with the SEBI Master Circular dated January 30, 2026.
Following the transition, three officials have been formally authorised under Regulation 30(5) of the Listing Regulations to determine the materiality of events or information and ensure timely disclosures to the stock exchanges. These are Managing Director and Group CEO Parag Satpute, Group General Counsel and Company Secretary Atindra Basu, and the incoming Group CFO Manish Poddar. All three can be reached through the company's corporate office in Lower Parel, Mumbai.
Greaves Cotton Limited is a diversified engineering company with a history spanning over a century. It is listed on both BSE, where it trades under the code 501455, and the National Stock Exchange of India, where it trades under the ticker GREAVESCOT. The company's registered office is located in the MIDC Industrial Area in Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar, Maharashtra, while its corporate operations are headquartered in Mumbai. The filing was signed by Atindra Basu in his capacity as Group General Counsel and Company Secretary.