Gautam Adani Appointed Non-Executive Chairman of Adani Ports & SEZ

Adani Ports and Special Economic Zone Ltd (APSEZ), a key subsidiary of the diversified Adani Group, has announced the redesignation of billionaire industrialist Gautam Adani from his role as Executive Chairman to that of Non-Executive Chairman, with immediate effect. The company stated in a regulatory filing on Tuesday that this change was approved by the board based on the recommendation of its Nomination and Remuneration Committee and will be officially effective from August 5. With this transition, Adani will cease to be considered a Key Managerial Personnel (KMP) of the company under current regulatory definitions.

The decision aligns with the compliance requirements under the Companies Act, which prevents individuals from holding executive positions across multiple companies simultaneously. Since APSEZ already has two executive directors in place — a Managing Director and a Whole-Time Director & CEO — the move aims to ensure better governance standards and adherence to statutory guidelines. In a public statement, APSEZ clarified that this re-designation would not affect Adani’s strategic involvement in the company. He will continue to lead the board in the capacity of Non-Executive Chairman and focus on guiding the long-term vision and expansion of the broader Adani Group.

The company has also appointed Manish Kejriwal as an additional director in a non-executive, independent role for an initial tenure of three years starting from August 5. His appointment is subject to shareholder approval, which must be secured within the next three months. Kejriwal’s inclusion in the board is expected to further strengthen corporate governance and bring valuable independent oversight to the company’s functioning.

This transition reflects a broader shift within the Adani Group toward aligning leadership structures with global corporate governance practices, especially as the conglomerate continues to grow internationally. APSEZ, as India’s largest private multi-port operator, has significantly expanded its operations over the years. Currently, it operates 15 ports across India, including major facilities in Mundra (Gujarat), Dhamra (Odisha), Krishnapatnam (Andhra Pradesh), and Kattupalli (Tamil Nadu), among others. It also has a growing international footprint with a presence in four overseas ports.

The company’s strategic priorities continue to focus on expanding port capacity, enhancing logistics infrastructure, and developing Special Economic Zones (SEZs) to support India’s growing trade ecosystem. By stepping away from daily executive responsibilities, Gautam Adani is expected to dedicate more attention to the strategic management of other key group businesses such as Adani Energy, Adani Green, and Adani Enterprises, among others.

This leadership transition is also seen as a move to instill greater investor confidence and transparency, particularly in light of heightened scrutiny of large conglomerates and their governance frameworks. While Gautam Adani’s influence and leadership will continue to guide APSEZ from a strategic level, the operational helm of the company will now be fully under the purview of its existing executive management team.

Overall, the move signals a well-calibrated effort by APSEZ and the Adani Group to balance visionary leadership with sound governance practices as they navigate a rapidly evolving global business environment.