Our Leadership Team

Deshnee Naidoo is the Chief Executive Officer of Vedanta Resources, bringing with her a wealth of global experience in the metals and mining sector. With a distinguished career spanning 27 years across the globe, she has been instrumental in driving transformation and growth in the industry. Her journey with Vedanta began in 2014, where she held key leadership roles, including CEO of Africa Base Metals Business and CEO of Vedanta Zinc International, until 2020. Before rejoining Vedanta, Deshnee served as the CEO of Vale Base Metals in Canada, where she was a key architect of the company’s growth and turnaround strategy. She holds a degree in Chemical Engineering from the University of KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa, and a certification in Finance and Administration from the Witwatersrand Business School.

Mr. Arun Misra has been appointed as an Executive Director w.e.f August 01, 2023. Arun Misra is also the CEO of Vedanta’s Zinc Business and has also been leading Hindustan Zinc Limited (“HZL”), a subsidiary of the Company. Mr. Misra has also been overseeing the operations and growth of Vedanta Zinc International which have their mines and concentrator in South Africa. Mr. Misra was appointed as Deputy CEO, HZL on November 20, 2019 and was elevated to CEO & WTD, HZL with effect from August 01, 2020. Mr. Misra is the 1st ever Indian Chairperson of the International Zinc Association. He is also the Vice President of the Indian Institute of Mineral Engineers. He is also present Vice Chairman of CII, Rajasthan. Mr. Misra was awarded ‘CEO of the Year’ in the Business Leader of the Year awards. After graduating with a bachelor’s degree in electrical engineering from IIT, Kharagpur, Mr. Misra took a Diploma in Mining and Beneficiation from the University of New South Wales Sydney, and another Diploma in General Management from CEDEP, France. He possesses knowledge of TQM, Six Sigma, TPM, and the Malcolm Baldridge Model. Mr. Misra started his career with Tata Steel as Maintenance Head (Electrical), West Bokaro Coal Washery in July 1988. He brings with him a formidable 35 years of rich and diverse experience in Tata Steel, where he headed various strategic positions. In his last assignment at Tata Steel, Mr. Misra worked as Vice President — Raw Materials Division. During his tenure at Tata Steel, Mr. Misra led crucial portfolios like Plant Operations, Mining Operations, and Safety & Project Management.

Priya Agarwal-Hebbar is the Non-Executive Director at Vedanta, world's leading natural resources company. She has been a key pillar in strengthening ESG and bringing about a more forward-looking cultural shift in the organization. Priya is passionate about animals, child nutrition and gender neutrality which has driven her to lead a variety of CSR initiatives that has collectively impacted around 4.23 Cr people in India. Under her leadership, Vedanta has modernized over 3300 anganwadis across the country through its flagship project Nand Ghar which aims to ensure that women and children get the right opportunities even in the remotest parts of the country. She is also leading India’s first state-of-the-art animal welfare project - TACO which will bring leading academicians, medical professionals and community together to create a more holistic approach to animal care in India. Priya has experience in Public Relations with Ogilvy & Mather and in Rediffusion Y&R. She is also the founder of YODA - animal welfare organization.

Ajay Goel is Chief Financial Officer of Vedanta. He joined the company in March 2021 as Deputy CFO and assumed charge as Acting CFO in October 2021. Ajay brings rich multinational experience with global companies in FMCG and Industrial sectors; namely GE, Nestle, Coca Cola and Diageo. As CFO, Ajay is responsible for all aspects of finance, including corporate governance, treasury and funding, investors relations, Financial Planning & Analysis, Accounting and Consolidation, Tax, Secretarial, and Risk Management. He also drives business performance monitoring and reporting with a focus on benchmarking and analytics. Ajay is a national rank holder both as Chartered Accountant and Company Secretary and a commerce graduate from St. Xavier's College, Calcutta University.

D. Srikanth is Director, Projects at Vedanta. In this role, he brings industry leading practices and cutting-edge technology through benchmarking with a vision of delivering projects within budget and defined timelines. Srikanth joins the company with 31 years of rich & diverse experience in various strategic positions and has made a mark in the EPC industry with his association with various licensing and EPC contracting organisations. His primary stint was with Reliance Industries where he had exposure in managing multiple projects including developing new project plans, strategy, and feasibility for additional downstream products. He has also led and managed large projects in other organizations like Tecnimont ICB, Thyssen Krupp Industrial Solutions (formerly UHDE), J Ray McDermott and Saipem. His last stint was with Adani Enterprises. Srikanth has done his Bachelor’s in Chemical Engineering from University of Mumbai, and Diploma in Energy Management Technology from Annamalai University.

Rohit Agarwal was appointed as Director, MAS in December 2022. He leads the overall Assurance vertical as the custodian of ethics and integrity, thus ensuring zero leakages across the organization with specific focus on right people, right partners, right material and right practices. His priorities are to unlock value through business partnering, use of latest technology & data analytics and enhance internal controls, compliance & governance framework. Rohit is a qualified Chartered Accountant and has been with the Group for over 18 years with a brief stint outside the Group. He joined as a Management Trainee in 2005, worked in various businesses across Group including overseas (Armenia and Australia) in various capacities and rose to the ranks of CFO of TSPL in 2018 through various internal Act-up programs / Chairman Growth workshops. He has been part of various key transformational projects in finance domain over the years and has contributed immensely in the growth journey of Vedanta.

Prerna Halwasiya was appointed as the Company Secretary and Compliance Officer for Vedanta in July 2018. She drives Vedanta's unwavering commitment to uphold the highest standards of Corporate Governance. She took up the additional role of Deputy Head, Investor Relations in April 2023. In this role, she works with the finance leadership to enhance the quality, depth and diversity of our investor base and communicate our compelling story through our vision, performance delivery, project milestones and global best practices. Her rich experience of over 15 years in shareholder engagement and in handling multi-disciplinary areas of secretarial function are of immense value as the Company strives to optimize value for its shareholders. She joined Vedanta Group in August 2007 and has since been part of the Corporate Secretarial and Compliance Function. She is a qualified Company Secretary from the Institute of Company Secretaries of India (ICSI).

Rajiv Kumar is Chief Executive Officer of Vedanta Aluminium, India’s largest producer of aluminium and amongst the top producers globally. He is a seasoned industry leader with more than three decades of strategic and operational expertise in the steel and mining sectors. He brings with him a wealth of experience from Tata Steel, where he held several key leadership positions. As CEO of Vedanta Aluminium, Rajiv is responsible for steering the business towards sustainable growth and global competitiveness. He leads the overall strategy for the aluminium business, including Vedanta’s ongoing demerger process, ensuring a smooth transition and maximization of stakeholder value. His role encompasses the development of strategic global alliances, driving innovation through digitalization and advanced technologies, and strengthening the company’s ESG and marketing initiatives. Under his leadership, Vedanta Aluminium aims to emerge as a future-ready, high-performance enterprise at the forefront of India's industrial and energy transition. Rajiv holds a General Management Degree from INSEAD, France, and is a Metallurgical Engineer from BIT Sindri.

Navin Jaju, CEO of Sesa Goa, Vedanta Limited is a well-seasoned executive with extensive diversified experience of over 18 years in Metal & Mining sector. He brings demonstrated leadership experience in multiple business verticals ranging from financial planning & analysis, taxation, audits, accounting & consolidation, compliance & secretarial, risk management, expansions, new acquisitions, and mergers and so on. He has established a strong track record of achieving business growth vision with utmost focus on best-in-class ESG standards, strategic directions, team building, exceptional P & L results, people practices and business process re-engineering. In his current role, he is responsible for overall business performance, growth & expansions of Vedanta’s Sesa Goa Business having footprints across 5 states in India and overseas operations at Liberia-West Africa. Vedanta’s Sesa Goa is amongst the leading producer of Iron Ore in private sector with diversified product portfolio including Pig Iron, Metallurgical coke, Cement and Power through waste heat recovery. Prior to his appointment as a CEO, Navin was Chief Financial Officer of Vedanta’s Iron & Steel sector and was instrumental in effectively driving business growth & expansions. He is also well known for his vital contribution across cross-functional & leadership roles across Vedanta group including Hindustan Zinc, BALCO, Sesa Goa and Corporate. Navin is a qualified Chartered Accountant (CA) from The Institute of Chartered Accountants of India and holds a bachelor’s degree in commerce from St. Xavier’s college, Kolkata.

Pankaj Kumar Sharma was appointed the Chief Executive Officer of FACOR, a leading producer and exporter of Ferro Chrome in India in June 2023. He joined Vedanta in 2018 and has made notable contributions to the field of metal operations and functions while he held significant leadership roles in BALCO and HZL. In his current role as CEO, Pankaj Kumar Sharma shall be providing strategic direction and overall leadership to ensure exceptional business performance at FACOR. His responsibilities span driving growth across Mines, Charge Chrome Plant, and Power Plant, with a strong focus on Volume, Cost, ESG, Growth Projects, Business Partner Management, Digitization, Innovation and Technology, People Development, and Benchmarking with Best Practices. With a professional journey spanning 24 years, Pankaj Kumar Sharma has made substantial contributions to the metal and cement industry. He has worked with esteemed companies such as JSW Cement, Century Textile Industry Limited, Lafarge Holcim, and ACC Ltd. He holds a degree in Mechanical Engineering from Bangalore Institute of Technology and is a certified Total Quality Management (TQM) professional from AOTS Japan. His accomplishments include being awarded the Chairman's Award for Best SBU Director, the People's First Leader by People First HR, and the Business Leader of the Year Award by the World HRD Congress.

Ravish Sharma has been the Deputy CEO & Whole-Time Director of ESL Steel Limited, a Vedanta Group company, since January 2025 and an integral part of Vedanta since 2005. With over 20 years of experience, Ravish has held key leadership roles across Vedanta’s operations, including at Bharat Aluminium, Hindustan Zinc, and most recently as the COO at ESL Steel Limited. His expertise spans Operations, Engineering, Logistics, Stakeholder Management, and CSR across multiple regions. Ravish is deeply committed to Safety Excellence, prioritizing it as the cornerstone of organizational success. He holds a B.Tech in Mechanical Engineering from Rajiv Gandhi Prodyogiki Vishwavidyalaya and completed the Senior Leadership Program at ISB Hyderabad in 2024.

Puneet Khurana has been associated with Vedanta Group since 2006 and is currently CEO – Copper Operations (Fujairah & Silvassa). Prior to this, he has been in various cross-functional & cross-business leadership roles in the Group where he was instrumental in driving the top line and bottom line by using important levers i.e. increase in volumes, reduction in cost, improvement in sales realization and free cash flow through benchmarking and business partnering. At present Puneet is playing a vital role in unlocking the full potential of the company’s Copper Production of 300 KT Copper Rod and Precious metals business with strategic projects, while adopting the best global practices and a strong focus on customer service level, quality, and digitalization. His priorities include designing and implementing strategies for strengthening ESG, HSE, volume & cost, leadership development, and improving efficiencies. Puneet holds a B.Tech degree from AKG Engineering College, Ghaziabad, and MBA from ICFAI Business School, Hyderabad.

Rajinder Singh Ahuja was appointed CEO of Vedanta Power in February 2025. He was also the Head of Health, Safety and Environment for the Vedanta Group from July 2021 to March 2025. Rajinder brings with him 22 years of rich and diverse leadership experience across mining, metal and power industries. He has worked with Hindustan Zinc Limited and Aditya Birla Limited in the past. Rajinder is currently leading the transformational journey to establish Vedanta as a global brand in ESG space to strengthen the performance & establish best practices in Field Health, Safety, Environment & Social Performance using benchmarking with industry best, analytics and digitization as key drivers. Rajinder has done Bachelors in Electrical Engineering from REC Bhopal, underwent a year-long leadership development programme by Aon Hewitt and trained by Dupont in Safety Interaction, CSM, IM, FSIPP, SRP.

Dhiraj Nayyar was appointed Director, Economics & Policy of Vedanta Ltd in October 2019. Prior to that he was Chief Economist of Vedanta Ltd since October 2018. Between 2015 and 2018, Dhiraj was Officer on Special Duty and Head of the Economics, Finance & Commerce vertical at NITI Aayog, Government of India. At NITI Aayog, he was responsible for all policy matters related to the Ministry of Finance and Department of Commerce. Before joining the Government, Dhiraj did several stints in senior positions in the media; as Opinion Editor of Financial Express, Deputy Editor of India Today, Editor-at-large of Firstpost.com, Managing Editor of The Quint and India Columnist for Bloomberg View, New York. In 2013, he was awarded a Bastiat Prize in Journalism by the California-based Reason Foundation. Dhiraj trained as an economist at St. Stephen's College, Delhi, Merton College, Oxford (where he was a Radhakrishnan Chevening Scholar) and Trinity College, Cambridge (where he was a Gates Cambridge Scholar). A prolific writer, he is the author of Modi & Markets: Arguments for Transformation, co-author of the Innovation Republic and editor of two books; Surviving the Storm: India and the Global Financial Crisis and Dogs and Us: Collected Short Stories. He writes regular columns in Economic Times and Sunday Guardian and occasionally in Indian Express and Times of India.

Gaurav Sarup was appointed Director – ESG, Carbon, & Social Performance in October 2020. He plays a vital role is setting the Group ESG strategy, which includes our commitment to become a Net Zero Carbon business. He also oversees the progress on our nine ESG aims and our work on disclosing our ESG performance in our annual Sustainability, TCFD, BRSR and Integrated reports. He has been instrumental in driving the engagement with ESG rating agencies in order to improve their overall outlook on Vedanta’s ESG impact. With nearly 20 years of work experience across multiple sectors, Gaurav brings rich experience as a sustainability & ESG professional. He joined the Vedanta Group in 2013/14 in the Oil & Gas business and had been part of the Group sustainability function since 2017/18. He has an MBA in Sustainability from Boston College’s Carroll School of Management.

Gopal Prasad Choudhary is the Group Head for Security and Intelligence at Vedanta. He was appointed as the Senior Vice President and Group Chief Security Officer of Vedanta Group in June 2022. He has been associated with the Governing Body of Rashtriya Raksha University, a Central University and an Institute of National Importance mandated to provide security and strategic education in the contemporary and futuristic security and strategic studies. Gopal migrated from Police Service to the Corporate world in 2009 and has also served Tata Steel as Chief Security & Brand Protection and Wipro as Global Security Head. Gopal acquired expertise in Risk Management, Industrial Security, Brand Protection, Supply Chain Security, Port and Aviation Security, Disaster Management, Loss/Fraud Prevention and management, Forensics, Technical Convergence, Intelligence and Surveillance, management of Naxalism, terrorism, organized crime, etc. He has held the positions of Secretary of the Electronics City Industries’ Association, Bangalore, and President of International Institute of Security and Safety Management, a Not-For-Profit organisation. Gopal is a Law graduate and served the Government of India and the State Government for more than 19 years as an Army and Police Officer.