Mumbai: In a major leadership reshuffle, Bharat Petroleum Corporation Limited (BPCL) has announced the appointment of Sanjay Khanna, currently serving as Director (Refinery), to hold the additional charge of Chairman and Managing Director (CMD). The transition comes following the end of tenure of outgoing CMD G. Krishnakumar, who is credited with steering the company through a transformative phase.
Alongside, Raj Kumar Dubey, currently Director (Human Resources), has been entrusted with additional charge as Director (Marketing).
Farewell to G. Krishnakumar: A Visionary at the Helm
G. Krishnakumar’s tenure as CMD marked a pivotal chapter in BPCL’s history. Under his leadership, the company launched the ambitious Project Aspire, a ₹1.70 lakh crore initiative aimed at expanding BPCL’s footprint in energy transition, digital transformation, and green energy. His strategic foresight also accelerated BPCL’s ventures into non-fuel retail and renewable energy, reinforcing the company’s long-term competitiveness.
Sanjay Khanna: A Veteran Technocrat to Lead the Charge
An alumnus of NIT Tiruchirapalli in Chemical Engineering and a postgraduate in Finance Management from Mumbai University, Sanjay Khanna brings over 30 years of experience in refinery operations, technical services, and project execution. He has played a crucial role in the commissioning of units at BPCL’s Mumbai and Numaligarh refineries and earlier served as Executive Director of Kochi Refinery, where he led BPCL’s first niche petrochemical initiative—the Propylene Derivative Petrochemical Project (PDPP).
Khanna currently serves on the Boards of Bharat Petro Resources Ltd and Ratnagiri Refinery and Petrochemicals Ltd, and also chairs the Technical Committee for Petroleum Refineries under the Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas.
Raj Kumar Dubey: Strengthening the Marketing Front
With over 35 years of experience in business operations and human capital development, Raj Kumar Dubey is a Mechanical Engineering graduate from NIT Allahabad and holds an MBA from the International Centre for Promotion of Enterprises, Slovenia. His broad exposure across operational and strategic HR functions positions him well to oversee BPCL’s evolving marketing landscape in a competitive energy sector.
Strategic Shift for Future Growth
These key appointments are expected to infuse fresh momentum into BPCL’s leadership as the company gears up for its next phase of growth amid global energy transition pressures. The interim leadership structure aims to ensure continuity in strategic initiatives, while reinforcing BPCL’s competitive standing both in domestic and international markets.
About BPCL
Headquartered in Mumbai, Bharat Petroleum Corporation Limited (BPCL) is India’s second-largest state-owned downstream oil and gas company. Operating three major refineries in Bina, Kochi, and Mumbai, BPCL is a Fortune Global 500 enterprise and functions under the Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas. The company was ranked 309th on the Fortune Global 500 list in 2020 and 1052nd on the Forbes Global 2000 list in 2023.
