High time ONGC appoints a female director..!
She missed the ONGC chairman job by a whisker, coming second to Shashi Shanker.
But Harjeet Kaur Joshi is today seen as favourite for the job of ONGC director finance. Interviews to replace present director finance AK Srinivasan, who took charge on September 23, 2015, but retires on October 31, will be held on October 26.
Originally with ONGC, Joshi is on secondment to state-owned Shipping Corporation of India (SCI) since 2015 as director finance. As a woman, her chances are high.
Despite clear directives from stock market regulator SEBI, ONGC still can't claim a single full-time female director. "She is a finance professional," a supporter tells us.
"And she has worked at several ONGC assets. Her knowledge of the company is thorough." Joshi fought hard for the ONGC chairman post during interviews on June 19 but lost to Shanker.
Could the director finance position be her consolation prize? Only if she manages to beat Petronet-LNG director finance Subhash Kumar who is also expected to put up a good show by highlighting his experience at the LNG terminal operator. Another strong contender will be Sridhar Patra, originally from ONGC subsidiary Mangalore Refineries, but now director finance at government power company THDC.
Patra is from Orissa like oil minister Dharmendra Pradhan and this will certainly work to his advantage. Of the 11 candidates to be interviewed October 26, Patra's name is first on the list.
