Who We Are

Mr. Akshay Poddar

Chairman

Mr. Akshay Poddar holds Honors in Accounting and Finance from London School of Economics and Political Science, University of London

Over 14 years of track record of promoting and managing businesses in diversified industries like fertilizers, agri-inputs, heaving engineering, sugar, consumer products, real estate, investments and furniture etc.

Mr. Prasanna

Independent Director

Mr. Prasanna has served in executive positions for over 30 years, most of it as CEO, MD, Executive Chairman and grown companies to leadership position in Information Technology, Healthcare, Education and Life Science sectors. His contribution in Wipro where he was Vice Chairman was in strategy and developing high talent teams. He was CEO of GE Medical in South and SEA and helped GE become number one by creating markets through frugal innovation. In Manipal Group he raised aspiration levels and saw the group achieve high rank in the fields of Education and healthcare. He served GE in Asia and USA and contributed to its global competitiveness

His entrepreneurial foray was in the field of Pharmaceutical services As the lead investor and CMD, he built a Clinical Research Organization(CRO) which brought new drugs market in stem cells, medical devices biologics and generics This CRO became leading Indian clinical CRO with highest reputation for quality and speed and had operations in 27 countries in Europe and Asia.

He has served as an Independent Director on the Boards of Shasun Pharma, Take Solutions, Four Ways Healthcare PLC, served as Chairman of GE-BEL, Ecron Acunova GmbH, as Director on GE Yokogawa Japan, GE-Samsung Korea, Manipal Gp, Manipal Hospitals, Manipal University and is reputed for contributing to strategies & building new stakeholders. He served as an independent Trustee on Shriram Ownership Trust the apex organization of Shriram group.

He served on Public Policy advocacy organizations like Center For Policy Research for over a decade. He has mentored startups and portfolio companies of international funds. He is strategic Advisor to InnAccel, a leading med-tech accelerator.

He has served as Chairman of Association of CROs . He is member of: Vision Group on Biotechnology, Karnataka; Biotechnology National Council and Pharmaceutical National Council of CII (Confederation of Indian Industry). He has mentored CEO and woman with potential to serve on Board of Directors

He has deep interest in Public Health, Education, History and has currently several initiatives in these fields.

He is an alumnus of IIM Ahmedabad & GE Business Leadership Program at Crotonville.

Mrs. Rita Menon

Independent Director

Mrs. Rita Menon holds M A (Economics) from Delhi School of Economics.

She is a retired IAS officer of 1975 batch. In her career as IAS officer she has worked in various positions like CMD of ITPO, Chairperson of TNTPO & KTPO, Joint Secretary to Secretary Positions at various Central Ministries, MD of UP Finance Corporation, Director at various central and private sector undertakings like BEL, GRSEL, Goa Shipyard Ltd, Mazagaon Dock Ltd, SIDBI etc.

Mr. Nitin M Kantak

Director

Mr. Nitin M. Kantak, is a Chemical Engineer from Institute of Chemical Technology (Formerly UDCT), Mumbai. He has 39 years of experience in Nitrogenous and Phosphatic fertilizer industry in Plant Operations, Project Management & Commissioning, Process Engineering, and Technical Services.

He started his career with Rashtriya Chemicals and Fertilizers Ltd, Trombay, before moving to Zuari Agro Chemicals Ltd in October 1982. He worked in Zuari Agro Chemicals Limited from 1982 to 2014 in various capacities in Plant Operations. He was appointed as Vice President- Manufacturing & Unit Head of Paradeep Phosphates Ltd from December 2014 to August 2017. He was Chief Technical Officer for Adventz Group Fertilizer Business from September 2017 to January 2019. He served as Chief Operating Officer of Zuari Agro Chemicals Limited (ZACL) from January 2019 before taking charge as Executive Director of ZACL. He has been appointed as Whole-Time Director of Zuari Agro Chemicals Limited w.e.f. September 03, 2020.

He has participated in the 3 Tier Middle Management Programme for Management Development at IIM-Ahmedabad from January 20-February 16, 2008.

Mr. Marco Wadia

Independent Director

Mr. Marco Philippus Ardeshir Wadia holds a bachelor’s degree in law from Bombay University.

He is a member of the Bar Council of India. He has been a practicing advocate since 1986 and, is currently a partner at Crawford Bayley & Co. He has over 30 years of experience in the legal profession having specialised in corporate matters and mergers and acquisitions.

Mr. N Suresh Krishnan

Director

An alumnus of BITS, Pilani, Mr N Suresh Krishnan has been in leadership roles in the Indian Fertiliser Sector for over two decades. He is the current Managing Director of Paradeep Phosphates Limited, Chairman of Fertilizer Association of India (FAI) and is a member of the Boards of Directors of International Fertilizer Association (IFA) as well as Zuari Maroc Phosphates Pvt Ltd (ZMPPL).

Mr Krishnan has been associated with Fertiliser, Energy, Sugar and Cement sectors in a career spanning over 35 years. His corporate experience traverses manufacturing, corporate finance & restructuring, corporate strategy, projects planning & execution, operations, business development and mergers & acquisitions. In the past, he has served as the MD & CEO of Zuari Agro Chemicals Ltd (ZACL), Mangalore Chemicals & Fertilizers Limited (MCFL) and Zuari Industries Limited (ZIL).

Widely acknowledged for his leadership, vision and commitment, Mr Krishnan is an active proponent of resource-efficient agriculture.