Lafarge India shuffles top deck after entry of new CEO

Lafarge India has embarked on a top-level management reshuffle, close on the heels of Uday Khanna taking over as its new CEO. Shivesh Sinha, the company’s CFO till recently, has been promoted to take over as advisor, Lafarge Asia. Antoinne Zenone, an old Lafarge hand, has come in as senior VP (accounts and control). 
 
Gautam Ray, who was posted at the Lafarge group headquarters, has moved back from Paris to rejoin Lafarge India as senior vice president (legal and finance). On July 1, Mr Khanna took over as CEO of Lafarge India, replacing Martin Kriegner, who has been at the helm of the Indian operations for over three years. Mr Kriegner, who will continue to be based in Mumbai, has been assigned a regional role for the Lafarge group. 
 
Meanwhile, KV Ganeshan, who was the COO, in charge of manufacturing operations, had been elevated to the position of director some time ago. Mahendra Chaudhary has stepped into his shoes as senior vice president (manufacturing). The management changes comes at a time when the Indian subsidiary of the French cement and building materials giant is exploring options to augment its presence in India. 
 
The company, with a cement capacity of 5Mt, is confined to India’s eastern region, which consumes around 18.5Mta.