Sanjay Kumar to lead Petronet LNG as next CEO

Sanjay Kumar, currently the Director (Marketing) at GAIL (India) Ltd, has been appointed as the next Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of Petronet LNG Ltd. The transition will take effect on May 13, 2027, when the current CEO, A K Singh, completes his extended tenure. Kumar, who is 59 years old, will serve a five-year term at Petronet, India's largest gas importer.

Petronet's board approved Kumar's appointment during a brief meeting on October 2. The company, majority-owned by state-run oil firms, operates India's largest liquefied natural gas (LNG) import terminal at Dahej in Gujarat and another terminal at Kochi in Kerala. Kumar's appointment aligns with India's efforts to increase the share of natural gas in its energy mix and expand LNG infrastructure.

Kumar, a mechanical engineer from IIT Kharagpur and an MBA, brings over 35 years of experience in the natural gas and LNG sector. He has been the director for marketing at GAIL since mid-June 2023. Petronet LNG currently handles about 74% of India's LNG imports and accounts for around 34% of the country's gas supplies.

The company is also pursuing the expansion of its Dahej regasification capacity, a greenfield LNG terminal on India's east coast, and a petrochemicals project at Dahej. Kumar's leadership will be crucial in advancing these initiatives as India seeks to enhance its LNG import and regasification capabilities.