Greaves Cotton appoints Manish Poddar as Group CFO to support Greaves.NEXT growth strategy!

Greaves Cotton Limited has announced the appointment of Manish Poddar as its new Group Chief Financial Officer, effective March 19, 2026. In this role, Poddar will lead the company’s Finance and Information Technology functions while supporting the execution of the company’s Greaves.NEXT strategy, which focuses on expanding sustainable growth across the Energy, Mobility and Industrial Solutions sectors.

Poddar succeeds Akhila Balachandar, who will step down from the position after playing an important role in strengthening the company’s financial framework. Balachandar will be pursuing new professional opportunities following her tenure with the organisation.

With more than 25 years of experience in financial leadership, corporate strategy and governance, Poddar brings extensive expertise across multiple industries. A qualified Chartered Accountant, he has held several senior finance leadership positions where he contributed to financial transformation initiatives, operational efficiency improvements and long-term business growth.

Before joining Greaves Cotton, Poddar held leadership roles at Greencell Mobility, GMM Pfaudler Ltd and Diversey. During his tenure in these organizations, he helped strengthen financial performance, implement strategic growth initiatives and build strong governance systems. His professional experience also includes working closely with promoter-led enterprises and private equity-backed companies supported by firms such as Bain Capital and Chrys Capital.

Commenting on the appointment, Parag Satpute said the company is entering an important phase of expansion driven by the Greaves.NEXT strategy. According to Satpute, Poddar’s financial expertise and strategic perspective will be instrumental in supporting the company’s growth ambitions and strengthening long-term value creation for stakeholders. He added that the leadership team looks forward to working closely with Poddar as the company expands its portfolio across multiple business segments.

Satpute also acknowledged the contributions of Akhila Balachandar during her tenure as Group CFO. He noted that her leadership played a key role in strengthening financial discipline and improving operational structures within the organization, and expressed appreciation for her commitment to the company’s development.

Greaves Cotton is one of India’s long-established engineering companies, with a history spanning more than 165 years. Over time, the company has evolved from a traditional engineering manufacturer into a diversified technology-driven organization offering solutions across energy, mobility and industrial sectors.

The company is widely recognized for its engineering capabilities and its role in advancing accessible mobility technologies. Greaves Cotton is among India’s largest manufacturers of single-cylinder diesel engines and was one of the early companies to introduce such engines for microcar applications in European markets.

In addition to its core engineering businesses, the company has expanded into emerging mobility solutions through several investee ventures. Greaves Electric Mobility Limited manufactures electric two- and three-wheelers designed for passenger and cargo transportation. Meanwhile, Greaves Finance Limited operates ev.fin, a specialized non-banking financial company focused on financing electric vehicles and supporting broader EV adoption across India.

Through leadership appointments such as Poddar’s, Greaves Cotton aims to strengthen its financial leadership and support the next phase of growth as it continues to expand into future mobility, energy and advanced engineering solutions.