After a break of four years, Rohit Modi has returned to Suzlon Energy. This time around, it could be a tougher and more challenging assignment, unlike the boom times in 2008, when he worked with the wind turbine maker as the president of its India business. Now, he would also be managing the emerging markets businesses in Brazil and South Africa, along with the India unit.
Suzlon, which is currently facing the pressure of mounting debt as much as the effects of a general slowdown, might find Modi’s superior debt negotiating skills quite handy. While the 1985-batch Indian Administrative Services (IAS) officer was working in the ministry of finance, he had successfully negotiated billions of dollars worth of foreign loans on behalf of the government for over a dozen projects. He also had the vast experience of dealing with international financial institutions like the World Bank, the International Monetary Fund and the Asian Development Bank.
The most memorable working stint of this Delhi School of Economics graduate would still remain what he did as the chief executive officer of the Tamil Nadu Road Development Company, just after he resigned from the IAS. The company had some memorable projects which were executed by him, including the famous Chennai IT corridor, and the Ennore port-to-Chennai connectivity project.
Modi also became the founding managing director of the Road Infrastructure Company of Rajasthan. His love for transportation companies could very well come from his love for travelling. Modi likes to visit exotic locations, and stops probably only for movies and theatre, also his passions.
