8 new depts. for ONGC Dir Strategy & Corp.

Vol 26, PW 4 (09 Feb 23) People & Policy
       

Be in no doubt - if you're at ONGC, you will be impacted by the emergence of eight new departments under the yet-to-be-appointed director of strategy and corporate affairs.

On February 3 (2023), HR group general manager Divya Capoor released a two-page order announcing the new departments:

  1. Exploration JV Assets & BD - this replaces the Exploration Contracts Monitoring (EXCOM) department, traditionally the company's interface with foreign joint venture partners
  2. Production JV Assets & BD - this replaces the Joint Venture Operations Group (JVOG)
  3. Downstream Petrochemicals - ONGC's most significant exposure to petrochemicals is through the ONGC Petro Additions (OPaL) complex at Dahej, a joint venture with GAIL and GSPC
  4. New Energy (renewables, hydrogen and carbon capture, utilisation and storage) - ONGC has a 52-MW wind-based power plant in Gujarat and a 102-MW wind-based plant in Rajasthan; it is also constructing a 10-MW solar power plant at Hazira and operates a 1-MW solar plant at Rajahmundry; in July 2022, ONGC signed an agreement with renewable energy company Greenko to invest $6.2bn on green hydrogen and other green projects
  5. Corporate Strategy
  6. Corporate Marketing
  7. Corporate Legal
  8. Finance Support Group - a new finance hub to support the seven other work streams
Capoor's note follows a two-day ONGC Executive Committee meeting in Delhi led by chairman Arun Kumar Singh from January 30 to February 1 (2023). As officers move between departments during the restructuring, expect upheaval wherever you are.

ONGC's business development & JV (BD&JV) group will be split into two new business streams: downstream petrochemicals and new energy JV assets & BD. "All employees in these three verticals (EXCOM, JVOG and BD&JV) shall be placed under the respective new verticals in the revised structure," says the order.

ONGC's current corporate strategy & planning (CS&P) group will also be split into two departments: corporate planning and corporate strategy. Corporate planning will continue to report to the chairman (Arun Singh) as it already does, while the corporate strategy group will report to the new director (strategy & corporate affairs).

Another team within the CS&P group will be renamed the Ministry & Parliament Coordination Group, reporting to the corporate planning chief. In a clear sign Singh wants to run a tight ship, the corporate communications team, external and internal, will report directly to him.

Until a new director strategy is appointed, all eight new departments will report to Singh.