Pankaj Gautam today took over as the first Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Bhilai Steel Plant (BSP), the highest profit making entity of the Steel Authority of India Limited (SAIL).
The SAIL board cleared Gautam’s name for the top post of its flagship entity, ending the nearly year-long exercise to have CEO in the BSP. The SAIL board had in fact appointed CEO in a few entities barring the one that earned it the highest profit.
Gautam had been discharging his responsibilities as Executive Director In-Charge, Bhilai Steel Plant since May 13, 2011. Having begun his career in SAIL from Bhilai Steel Plant after his B.E in Electricals from Government Engineering College, Raipur, he did his Business Management from IIIE.
The newly appointed BSP CEO has nearly 37 years of experience in steel making including over a year and a half as Executive Director of Salem Steel Plant. At Bhilai, he started his first assignment in Electrical Repair Shop from 1974 to 1981.
In March 2007, he took charge as GM (Modernisation) and looked after modernisation projects while also coordinating for the Bhilai Jaypee Cement Ltd project. At Salem, Gautam was credited for ensuring new projects worth Rs 2000 crore commissioned without any cost or time over run.
Besides making all efforts to optimise production from existing facilities and take up maintenance activities in the Plant on a large scale, taking important projects forward and enhancing special steel production would be high on his priorities.