Splitting MD, chairman roles: Firms divided; experts for staggered rollout

"We have for the longest time had separation of MD and chairman, as two separate roles… I can't imagine how it would be like to have both of those roles combined into one…" says Kumar Mangalam Birla

In a recent conference on corporate governance in Mumbai, Kumar Mangalam Birla, chairman, Aditya Birla Group, was asked about his views on the Securities and Exchange Board of India’s (Sebi’s) directive to split the roles of chairman and managing director (MD) in the top 500 listed companies with effect from April 2020.  

Referring to the industrial conglomerate he heads, Birla said: “We have for the longest time had separation of MD and chairman, as two separate roles… I can't imagine how it would be like to have both of those roles combined into one…” He was quick to add that