Rajeev Singhal will be new GAIL director BD
Rajeev Kumar Singhal has won the PESB's recommendation for GAIL director business development.
On September 20 (2023), ten shortlisted candidates, including seven from GAIL, attended the PESB interviews between 3.30pm and 5.30pm to replace MV Iyer, who retires on October 31 (2023). Singhal is an ED in GAIL's business development department and was listed first on the shortlist of a dozen candidates drawn up and released on September 5 (2023) by the PESB.
Of the 12 candidates initially shortlisted, IndianOil ED Arwindar Sahney and Trivendra Kakaji, a GGM at state-owned Dedicated Freight Corridor Corporation, stayed away from interviews. Many at GAIL expected Singhal to win as the only business development ED on the PESB shortlist.
"Singhal is an engineer with a computer and electronics background, and he has varied experience in GAIL businesses," says a colleague. "For quite some time, he was handling operations at GAILTEL (the telecom wing); after that, he was moved to Bangalore to handle marketing and then brought to (GAIL) corporate headquarters (Delhi) where he handled international gas sourcing and then moved to business development."
Accepting a congratulatory phone call from this report, Singhal said: "Thank you! Right now, it's premature to talk about priorities; there are many people around me; I will talk to you later." GAIL's director BD, oversees the growing and diversifying petrochemicals units at Pata in Uttar Pradesh and Usar on the outskirts of Mumbai.
Also included in his remit is the overseas businesses, including global LNG sourcing. Singhal's colleagues say he is sharp and easily grasps concepts but is impatient with procedures.
One colleague described Singhal as a man in a hurry. "He should slow down and focus on details," we hear.
Others say Singhal is politically well-connected to the ruling BJP. Other EDs from GAIL interviewed were Prasoon Kumar, handling projects; Ajay Tripathi, in charge of the Pata petchem unit; Goutom Chakraborty, heading CGD division GAIL Gas; Ashu Singhal, managing director of Mahanagar Gas; Aloke Kumar Naskar in charge of new projects and the Usar petchem unit; and Atul Kumar Tripathi in charge of operations and maintenance.