Hunt begins for next IOC chairman

With a year to go it's still a while before the IndianOil chairman post falls vacant but the PESB has already invited CVs on June 12 to replace Sanjiv Singh who retires on July 1, 2020.

"Only two of our directors will be eligible to apply," says an IOC source. These are IOC's director human resources RK Mohapatra and director research and development SSV Ramakumar who will both have two years of service left on the date of the vacancy.

Mohapatra, who has been in his present role since February 19, 2018, will retire on December 31, 2023, which means that if he applies and wins the chairman job he will only get three and a half years in the post. Similarly Ramakumar, who has been in his present position since February 1, 2017, will retire on July 31, 2023.

Mohapatra has extensive experience in marketing and previously headed IOC's wholly owned subsidiary IndianOil (Mauritius). Ramakumar has a PhD in chemistry from IIT Roorkee and is president of the Tribology Society of India, which studies friction between surfaces in motion.

"Ramakumar has a good rapport with (oil minister) Pradhan," we hear.