Our Managing Directors talk about their work, their inspirations and their vision for a more innovative APAR
Mr. Kushal Desai
Chairman and Managing Director
Mr. Kushal Desai is currently Chairman & Managing Director of APAR Industries Ltd. He has a Bachelor of Science degree in Electrical Engineering from the Moore School of Electrical Engineering and a Business degree from the Wharton School, both of which are part of University of Pennsylvania.
In 1997, Kushal co-founded APAR Infotech, a system integration software company, which he actively worked with till 2004. At the time of its listing on NASDAQ in 2004, APAR Infotech was operating in 13 countries.
Kushal has also been associated with ELCOMA and IEEMA, leading industry bodies in their respective fields, in various capacities. Upholding the family tradition of giving back to society, Kushal serves on the board of governors of both Dharmsinh Desai University, Nadiad and DDMM Heart Hospital, Nadiad (Gujarat), charitable institutions in the fields of education and healthcare respectively.
He is on the board of trustees of The Lady Northcote Hindu Orphanage and is an advisor to Midday Meal Program ‘Annamrita’ which provides lunch to over 1.6 million underprivileged children in government schools in India.
Mr. Chaitanya Desai
Managing Director
Mr. Chaitanya Desai is currently the Managing Director of APAR Industries Limited, the world’s largest manufacturer of aluminium and alloy conductors.
He has a Bachelor of Science (Hons.) degree in Chemical Engineering from the University of Pennsylvania and a Bachelor of Science degree in Economics (Hons.) from the Wharton Business School.
He is the recipient of many prominent awards.
He joined APAR in 1993 to head the Polymer division, a collaboration with The Goodyear Tire & Rubber Company of USA. The Polymer division was in the business of manufacturing High Styrene Rubber, Nitrile Butadiene Rubber and Speciality Polyblends.
Today, he heads APAR’s Conductor division business.
Chaitanya has been instrumental in the group’s number of business transactions including acquisitions, mergers and divestments.
He was also a member of the Executive Council of IEEMA, a prominent industry body that represents the Indian Electrical Industry.
Following in the footsteps of his father, Chaitanya is a trustee of the Dharmsinh Desai Foundation which runs the DD University, a leading institution for higher education in the fields of engineering, technology, medical sciences, management and pharmacy. He is also a trustee of the Dharmsinh Desai Memorial Methodist Institute of Cardiology and Cardiovascular surgery.
Mr. Manish Agarwal
CEO – Conductor & Telecommunications Businesses
Mr. Manish Agarwal is the Chief Executive Officer – Conductor & Telecommunications Businesses at APAR Industries. He has also been appointed as Managing Director – APAR T&D for APAR Transmission & Distribution Projects Private Limited.
Mr. Agarwal is a Harvard alumnus and an energy infrastructure specialist with an impressive career spanning over 27 years. A veteran in the power and telecom sectors, he is renowned as a leading voice shaping policy priorities in the manufacturing, specialized EPC, and infrastructure industries. He is a passionate proponent of disruptive technologies and has played a pivotal role in driving their adoption in the transmission sector. He is also a well-regarded champion of key industry matters including concession/public-private partnership, Make in India, rebuild/upgrade of transmission/distribution infrastructure, massive fiberization of power transmission corridors, technology adoption etc.
Mr. Shashi Amin
CEO - APAR Cable Solutions
Mr. Shashi Amin is the CEO of the Cables Solutions business of APAR Industries. His 30+ years of professional experience in the Cables industry started in 1989, gradually overseeing Sales & Marketing, Business Development and P&L Management in India and abroad.
He holds a bachelor’s degree in Electrical Power Systems from Amravati University, Maharashtra, in 1988 and an MMM (Master’s in Marketing Management) from Wellingkar Institute of Management, Mumbai, in 1994.
Shashi is good at managing business operations with a focus on top-line & bottom-line performance and expertise in planning strategies, defining targets and resource administration. In addition, he has a proven track record of generating new business through strategic alliances with key decision makers.
An enterprising leader with a solid record of contributions that streamlined operations, increased businesses, profitability, and enhanced internal controls. An effective communicator with strong leadership and people management abilities.
He has been the Chairman of the Cable Division from 2018 to 2020. He has also been the Chairman of the Buildelec Exhibition conducted in 2020 and 2022. Currently, he is the National Executive Council member of IEEMA.
In 2022, Engineering Review Magazine recognised him among the Manufacturing Heros of India. Under his leadership, the company has seen tremendous growth in its light duty cables business and cables exports. Under his leadership, APAR looks forward to multifold growth in the coming years.
Mr. Suyash Saraogi
President Strategy & Projects
Mr. Suyash Saraogi is currently President Strategy & Projects at APAR Industries. He has a Bachelor of Science degree in Mechanical Engineering from the University of Pennsylvania, and a Business degree from the Wharton Business School.
Suyash heads the Strategic Initiatives at APAR, including Sustainability (Environmental, Social and Governance), transformation projects in the areas of Industry 4.0 etc.
He is involved in Go-To-Market (GTM) strategy, business alliances and organization design.
He has three decades of experience in entrepreneurship, business turnarounds, P&L management, transformations and projects.
Mr. VK Bajaj
Senior President – Business Strategy & Innovation
Mr. VK Bajaj is currently Senior President – Business Strategy & Innovation of the cable division. He is an electrical engineer from IIT Kanpur. He has an experience of over 40 years in different capacities and markets, mostly in various top of the line cable companies.
He understands the cable business like no other: technical, commercial and application aspects. He also possesses analytical skills and is a specialist in business strategy and troubleshooting.
VK Bajaj has been associated with various seminars as a panelist and has written several technical articles on cables and its varied applications.
Mr. Rishabh Desai
Director
Mr. Rishabh Desai is the director of Petroleum Specialities FZE (a fully owned subsidiary of APAR Industries in the UAE) and is a member of the Board of Directors at APAR.
Rishabh received his B.Sc in Business Management and Entrepreneurship, with dual concentrations in Finance and Strategic Management, in 2014 from Babson College, USA. Upon graduating, Rishabh worked for a year in Ergon Inc., an oil refinery in Mississippi, USA, before moving to the UAE.
He has led the effort at PSF, from the construction of the factory in 2015 to managing the facility ever since the factory was approved to start production. PSF is the first wholly owned subsidiary of APAR Industries overseas.
In his current role, Rishabh overlooks the production, sales and distribution of transformer oil and white and pharmaceutical oil in the MENA region.