Mr. Saroj Kumar Poddar (DIN: 00008654), Chairman of the Company, a gold medalist in B. Com (Hons) from Calcutta University, is the Chairman of Adventz group with a turnover of about USD 3 Billion. The group under the leadership of Mr. Poddar, has promoted various seminal projects including joint ventures with leading international corporations. The most notable of these ventures are Hettich India Private Ltd (a joint venture with the Hettich Group of Germany), Texmaco UGL Rail Private Ltd. (a joint venture with the United Group of Australia) and MCA Phosphates Pte. Ltd. (a joint venture with Mitsubishi Corporation, Japan). Mr. Poddar was also instrumental in promoting Gillette India Limited (a venture with the Gillette Company of U.S.A), and he was founder Chairman since 1984 before relinquishing the position in December 2013.
A recipient of the Rashtriya Samman from the Central Board of Direct Taxes, Mr. Poddar is a keen collector of contemporary Indian art and involved in the promotion and development of art, culture and sports. Mr. Poddar and his family promote young cricketers to go abroad for training and practice. They are currently involved in setting up a museum in Delhi with the theme ‘India through the ages’. The museum will be named as ‘K. K. Birla Academy’ in the fond memory of Late Dr. K.K. Birla. The Project will be fully funded by the family and is to be commissioned in the coming years.
Having served as President of Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FICCI) and International Chamber of Commerce in India, Mr. Poddar has been appointed by Government of India on Board of Trade - the highest body on trade - and on the Indian Institute of Science, Bangalore. Mr. Poddar has also served as a member of the Board of Governors of the Indian Institute of Technology, Kharagpur for a decade and also on local Board of the Reserve Bank of India for similar tenure. He was also on the Advisory Board of one of the most reputed investment brokers, M/s N M Rothschild & Sons (India) Pvt. Ltd.
Mr Poddar is the Chairman of India-Saudi Arabia Joint Business Council and a Member of the Indo-French CEO Forum.
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