Visionaries leading from the front
Shri A S Sahney, aged 54 years, is a Chemical Engineer from HBTI, Kanpur, with over three decades of expertise in the Refinery and Petrochemical sector. He brings extensive experience from working at five of IndianOil's nine refineries. At IndianOil, he has been instrumental in commissioning and optimizing key refinery units, including the 15 MMTPA Paradip Refinery, which has significantly bolstered India's refining capacity and energy security.
Prior to his appointment as Chairman, he headed IndianOil’s Petrochemical vertical, where he was instrumental in the conceptualization of various petrochemical projects, including the upcoming mega Petrochemical Complex at Paradip, poised to
significantly expand IndianOil’s footprint in the sector.
Shri H. Shankar has been on the Board of Chennai Petroleum Corporation Limited since Oct’20 first as Director (Technical) and then as Managing Director since Apr’25. A seasoned energy sector professional with over three decades of experience in the oil and gas industry, he brings extensive expertise in refinery operations, project execution, strategic growth, and operational excellence.
A Mechanical Engineer with a Master’s degree in Business Administration, he has held diverse leadership positions within Indian Oil Corporation Limited (IOCL) and also served with Kuwait National Petroleum Company (KNPC), gaining valuable international exposure prior to joining the Board of CPCL.
Under his leadership, CPCL has strengthened its operational and financial performance, expanded into Retail Marketing, and advanced high-value specialty product initiatives, including the Group II/III LOBS project. He has guided mega projects of national importance at IOCL, and at CPCL he played a pivotal role in pioneering the development of new products and specialized fuels for the space and defence sectors.
A strong advocate of innovation, sustainability, and industry-academia collaboration, Shri Shankar has promoted partnerships with institutions such as Indian Institute of Technology Madras while championing CSR, HSE, renewable energy, water conservation, and community development as integral to CPCL’s growth and culture.
Known for his focus on safety, sustainability, and self-reliance, Shri H. Shankar continues to steer CPCL toward a future-ready and globally competitive growth path.
A Mechanical Engineer with a Master’s degree in Business Administration, he has held diverse leadership positions within Indian Oil Corporation Limited (IOCL) and also served with Kuwait National Petroleum Company (KNPC), gaining valuable international exposure prior to joining the Board of CPCL.
Under his leadership, CPCL has strengthened its operational and financial performance, expanded into Retail Marketing, and advanced high-value specialty product initiatives, including the Group II/III LOBS project. He has guided mega projects of national importance at IOCL, and at CPCL he played a pivotal role in pioneering the development of new products and specialized fuels for the space and defence sectors.
A strong advocate of innovation, sustainability, and industry-academia collaboration, Shri Shankar has promoted partnerships with institutions such as Indian Institute of Technology Madras while championing CSR, HSE, renewable energy, water conservation, and community development as integral to CPCL’s growth and culture.
Known for his focus on safety, sustainability, and self-reliance, Shri H. Shankar continues to steer CPCL toward a future-ready and globally competitive growth path.
Mr.Rohit Kumar Agrawala has been appointed as Director (Finance), Chennai Petroleum Corporation Limited (CPCL) vide letter No.CA-31019/1/2021-PNG dated 01.02.2023 from the Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas, Government of India. He assumed charge as Director (Finance) on 01.03.2023.
Mr.Rohit Kumar Agrawala (49) is a Chartered Accountant and holds a Masters Degree in Business Administration (Gold Medalist) from Xavier Institute of Management, Bhubaneswar. He started his career in Indian Oil Corporation in 1997 and has a multi-unit experience having worked in Refineries of IOCL in Guwahati, Paradip, Vadodara and Mathura. He has more than ten years of experience in Corporate Finance. He was Team Lead for multiple Change Management assignments in IOCL. Prior to joining CPCL, he was Chief General Manager (Finance), Business Development Division, IOCL Corporate Office, New Delhi.
Mr.Rohit Kumar Agrawala (49) is a Chartered Accountant and holds a Masters Degree in Business Administration (Gold Medalist) from Xavier Institute of Management, Bhubaneswar. He started his career in Indian Oil Corporation in 1997 and has a multi-unit experience having worked in Refineries of IOCL in Guwahati, Paradip, Vadodara and Mathura. He has more than ten years of experience in Corporate Finance. He was Team Lead for multiple Change Management assignments in IOCL. Prior to joining CPCL, he was Chief General Manager (Finance), Business Development Division, IOCL Corporate Office, New Delhi.
Mr.P.Kannan has been appointed as Director (Operations) of Chennai Petroleum Corporation Limited (CPCL) effective 01.08.2023.
Mr.P.Kannan is a B. Tech (Chemical Engineering) Graduate from Alagappa College of Technology, Anna University, Chennai. He has been with CPCL for more than 34 years and has headed Operations in both Manali and Nagapattinam Refineries and has held various positions in Manufacturing, Process Engineering etc, prior to his appointment as Director(Operations).
During his tenure in Operations and Process Engineering, the major projects handled include Ref.III expansion, revamp of DHDS/DHDT/OHUC/HGU units, BIS IV and BIS VI units and fuel substitution with RLNG.
He has executed various Process & Margin improvement schemes, Energy Conservation & water conservation measures, production of value added products like MTO, JP7 etc., reduction of Operating Costs, improvement of plant reliability and availability to ensure safe refinery operations.
Mr.S.G.Venkatesh was previously holding the position of Executive Director (Petrochemicals), IOCL. He holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Chemical Engineering from University of Kerala. Mr. S G Venkatesh is a results-driven Chemical Engineer with 31 years of experience specializing in petroleum refining operations, process design & optimization and petrochemicals and is responsible for spearheading the company's entire petrochemical business, driving revenue growth, and leading the strategic direction for a diverse portfolio of commodity and specialty chemicals. His career trajectory is distinguished by a strong foundation in chemical engineering principles and their application to complex business challenges. He began his career in Refinery Production planning and shifted to process optimization and process plant design where he led teams for process design for both grass root and revamp of refinery units. His technical proficiency includes expertise in advanced simulation software, such as Pro-II, Aspen Plus and HYSYS.
Mr.Babak Bagherpour aged 44, holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Mining Engineering (Exploration) from Tehran Polytechnic University and a Master’s Degree in Reservoir Evaluation and Management from Heriot-Watt University, United Kingdom. He is presently the Manager of Project and Asset Department of Naftiran Intertrade Company Limited, Tehran, Iran. He has nearly two decades of experience in Oil and Gas Industry. He was appointed on the Board of CPCL on 27.03.2019.
Mr. Mohammad Bagher Dakhili aged 67, holds a Master’s Degree in Science from the University of Leeds, United Kingdom. He has 4 decades of experience in Oil & Gas Industry. He was appointed on the Board of CPCL on 23.01.2017.
Mr.Deepak Srivastava born on 30.06.1981 was appointed as a Director on the Board of CPCL with effect from 02.11.2024. He holds
a Bachelor’s Degree in Technology and belongs to the 2008 batch of Indian Ordnance Factories Service (OFS). Presently, he is Director, Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas, Government of India.
a Bachelor’s Degree in Technology and belongs to the 2008 batch of Indian Ordnance Factories Service (OFS). Presently, he is Director, Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas, Government of India.
Manoj Kumar Pandey is a commerce graduate from the University of Calcutta, with a distinguished career dedicated to community development, social empowerment, and inclusive growth. He brings a strategic perspective to social impact initiatives, having worked at the intersection of business and social development. He served as the Nominee Director at Paschim Banga Gramin Bank under the Ministry of Finance, Government of India, from 2008 to 2017. He also served as a member of the Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC) from 2007 to 2010.
Mr. Inder Jeet, Deputy Secretary, Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas, Government of India, started his career as Central Secretariat Service (CSS) Cadre Officer in the Ministry of Defence and prior to that, he was Registrar of Atal Bihari Vajpayee, Institute of Medical Sciences and Dr.Ram Manohar Lohia Hospital, New Delhi. Apart from this, he also helds various positions in other departments viz. Ministry of Textiles, Delhi Electricity Regulatory Commission, National Commission for Minorities, Union Public Services Commission and National Highways Authority of India.
Shri Asokan holds a Master’s Degree in Business Management from Regional Engineering College (REC), Tiruchirappalli, and has consistently demonstrated excellence in leadership roles across the country. He brings with him extensive pan-India marketing experience, having successfully led key assignments across Kerala, Karnataka, Tamil Nadu, Uttar Pradesh, and Gujarat, heading various divisions and state-level functions.
A seasoned energy industry leader with over three decades of rich and diverse experience in the oil and gas sector, Shri Asokan had built deep expertise across multiple domains including Petroleum Operations, Industrial Sales, Bunker Fuel Sales, and Retail Sales. His comprehensive understanding of the energy business is complemented by strong strategic and operational capabilities.
He also served as Vice President (Sales) at Lanka IOC PLC, a subsidiary of IndianOil in Sri Lanka, where he was instrumental in expanding fuel marketing operations and strengthening market presence.
