Adani group rejigs airport business leadership, names execs for new roles

R K Jain, chief executive officer of Mumbai airport, has made the CEO of the group's airport division.

The Adani group has announced a new organisation structure, as it looks to consolidate and grow its airport business.

R K Jain, chief executive officer of Mumbai airport, has been made the CEO of the group's airport division. Jain, who was associated with Mumbai International Airport Limited (MIAL) since the company’s inception, will also look after the Mumbai airport slum development project and regulatory issues, the group said in a staff announcement.

Jain takes over from Behnad Zandi, who will oversee the non-aeronautical business at the group level. Prakash Tulsiani will replace Jain as the new CEO of Mumbai airport. Tulsiani, who was earlier the CEO of All Cargo Logistics, joined Adani group's airport division a few months ago and was in charge of operations.

The changes were announced Saturday, following the group's acquisition of MIAL from the GVK group. 

The Adani group, with the addition of the Mumbai airport, will control 25 per cent of passenger footfalls and 33 per cent of India's air cargo, making it the India's largest airport infrastructure company.

In other leadership changes, Captain B V J K Sharma will be the CEO of Navi Mumbai airport. Sharma was earlier the director of ports in Adani Ports and Special Economic Zone Limited.

The group has announced that construction of the greenfield-airport in Navi Mumbai will begin next month and financial closure for the project will be completed in 90 days. The group hopes to start the airport in 2024. 

B G Gandhi, chief operating officer of Krishnapatnam port, will be chief airport officer of Ahmedabad airport. Prabhat Mahapatra, head of operations for MIAL, will handle operations at all group airports. Manoj Katar, chief operating officer of Dahej port, will replace Mahapatra at MIAL.

Nirav Shah and Vishnu Jha have been appointed as chief airport officers of Mangaluru and Jaipur airports. Rekha Nair, head of airport service at MIAL, will take over as head of customer experience and quality for the airport division.