GEPIL - Directors' Profile

Mr. Mahesh Shrikrishna Palashikar 

Non Executive Chairman 

Mr. Palashikar is a 20 year GE veteran who has worked and advanced through a series of complex and increasingly responsible assignments in manufacturing operations, global supply chain, quality, lean six sigma, sales, projects and services within GE’s Healthcare, Power and Renewable Energy businesses. During his GE career, he has lived in India, USA and China.

Prior to joining GE in 2000, he worked for more than a decade with Philips Electronics N.V. in their industrial and automotive electronics business in India.

Mr. Palashikar holds a Bachelor’s degree in Engineering and a degree in Cost and Works Accounting from India, as well as a Master’s degree in Business Administration from USA. He has also received GE’s Six Sigma Master Black Belt certification while in the USA.

Mr. Prashant Jain

Managing Director

Mr. Prashant Jain grew up in Hyderabad, India. He has graduated from Sri Venkateswara University in Electrical & Electronics Engineering, thereafter he attended management programs from reputed institutes like Indian Institute of Management, Bangalore / Ahmedabad and European School of Management & Technology, Berlin.

He started his professional career in March 1994. He has diverse experience in Industry and Energy sector including Renewables and has held management positions in Oil & Gas, Power and Renewable energy and has served organizations like Siemens, Schneider Electric etc.

After years of sales and business development experience in India and the USA, he has spent two years in developing Strategy for Energy sector, followed by management positions in Turbo Compressors, and Renewable energy. Since Feb 2014 he was heading Power Generation Services for Siemens Limited.

He is very active in various trade bodies and forums, to make power generation affordable, sustainable and reliable.

Mr. Yogesh Gupta 

Whole-time Director & CFO

Yogesh Gupta is a Chartered Accountant and Commerce Graduate from Shri Ram College of Commerce, Delhi.  He holds a Master’s degree in Business Administration from the Faculty of Management Studies and is also a Law Graduate from Delhi University. Also Co-Chairman of the Finance & Administration Board and President - Siemens Sports Club & the Credit Society.

He has joining us from Siemens Energy India Gas & Power - Service & Digital Business. Throughout his 29 Years of professional service, he has worked on building efficient Business Strategy, Financial Planning & Operations, Financial Reporting and Controls, Commercial, Taxation, Supply Chain Management, Procurement and Compliance. He has held various CFO roles since 2006 in diverse business sectors such as Mechanical Drives Industrial Sales & Services and Power Sector since 2008. Prior to that, he has a decade of managing experience in various Finance & Commercial functions in Projects, Product Sales, Solutions & Services Business Administration. Yogesh was also responsible for integrating Flender Ltd, Rolls Royce AGT, Dresser Rand Services Business with Siemens Ltd dealing with various stakeholders – Board of Directors, Investors, Statutory Authorities, Auditors, bankers, Labour Unions etc. 

Mr. A.K. Thiagarajan 

Non-Executive Independent Director 

Mr. A.K.Thiagarajan has a Masters Degree in Engineering from The Royal Institute of Technology, Stockholm, and is a Graduate in Business Administration & Information Systems. He has undergone Advanced Management programme from Harvard Business School, USA. He has held several prestigious positions in Indian Industry, including as Managing Director and Country Manager ABB Ltd., Vice Chairman, Wipro Ltd., and President of Hewlett Packard India Pvt. Ltd. He is an independent director in other prestigious companies in India and Europe. He has also been the Chairman of Confederation of Indian Industries (CII), National Committee on Technology, IT and Quality, Chairman – CII Southern Region and Chairman – CII Karnataka State Committee.

Dr. Uddesh Kohli 
Non Executive Independent Director 

Dr. Uddesh Kohli, holds B.E. (Hons.) degree from the Indian Institute of Technology, Roorkee, a Post-Graduate Diploma in Industrial Administration from the Manchester University, UK and Ph.D. in Economics from the Delhi School of Economics. Dr. Kohli has been Chairman and Managing Director of Power Finance Corporation Limited, and has worked with the Planning Commission, Government of India, reaching the position of Advisor (Additional Secretary level).

Dr. Kohli, is presently the Chairman Emeritus of Construction Industry Development Council and Chairman of Construction Industry Arbitration Council & Engineering Council of India and Senior Adviser, Global Compact, United Nations. He has carried out international assignments for Asian Development Bank, United Nations Industrial Development Organization, United Nations Development Programme and United Nations Office for Project Services.

Dr. Kohli's areas of expertise include development planning, finance, project formulation, appraisal, sustainability and monitoring, power/energy planning, Corporate Social Responsibility, training and human resource development.
Dr. Kohli was appointed as a Non-Executive Independent Director of the Company with effect from December 28, 2005. He is Chairman of the Audit Committee of the Board of Directors of the Company. 

Ms. Shukla Wassan

Non-Executive Independent Director

Ms. Shukla Wassan is a Law graduate, Fellow Member of Institute of Company Secretaries of India & The Chartered Institute of Arbitrators, London and an internationally accredited Mediator.

During her rich and diverse corporate career of over thirty years, she has been part of the Corporate Management Team of multinational companies – Hindustan Coca-Cola Beverages Pvt Ltd, Xerox India Ltd, Reckitt Benckiser Ltd & Max New York Life Insurance Co.  She has been also responsible for Corporate legal matters for The Coca-Cola Company’s subsidiaries in Nepal, Bangladesh & Sri Lanka and has been the Local Ethics Officer for over 15 years.   Her wide-ranging experience includes Joint Venture, Acquisition & Refranchising, Merger, Strategic Alliances, Intellectual Property, Commercials & Manufacturing Operation, Competition Law, Arbitration, Corporate Governance, Environment & Sustainability and Corporate Social Responsibilities.

She is presently the Chairperson of two listed entities in Nepal and Independent Director in four entities in India. She has served on several Boards for more than a decade.  She is a speaker in seminars and conference; domestic & international. She has been Committee Member of various industry forums including CII, FICCI, ASSOCHAM, Institute of Company Secretaries of India with leadership roles in community organization.

She has received several national and international awards and recognition as General Counsel including being listed among the World’s Leading General Counsels. She is also a Mentor to General Counsels and Vice Presidents in India.

Audit Committee: 1. Dr. Uddesh Kohli, Chairman 
2. Mr. A.K. Thiagarajan, Member 
3. Ms. Shukla Wassan, Member 
4. Mr. Mahesh Shrikrishna Palashikar, Member 

Corporate Social Responsibility Committee: 
1. Mr. Prashant Jain, Chairman
2. Mr. Mahesh Shrikrishna Palashikar, Member 
3. Dr. Uddesh Kohli, Member 

Nomination & Remuneration Committee

1. Mr. A.K. Thiagarajan, Chairman 
2. Dr. Uddesh Kohli, Member 
3. Mr. Mahesh Shrikrishna Palashikar, Member 
4. Ms. Shukla Wassan, Member

Stakeholders Relationship Committee: 
1. Dr. Uddesh Kohli, Chairman 
2. Mr. Prashant Jain, Member
3. Mr. Yogesh Gupta, Member

Risk Management Committee:

1. Mr. Mahesh Shrikrishna Palashikar, Chairman
2. Dr. Uddesh Kumar Kohli, Member
3. Mr. Prashant Jain, Member
4. Mr. Yogesh Gupta, Member
5. Mr. Senthil Velan, Member
6. Mr. Anshul Tripathi, Member