BS People: Pradeep Dhobale

Paper tiger

Pradeep Dhobale, one of the new inductees on ITC’s board, is credited with the turnaround of ITC Bhadrachalam. Paperboards and packaging happens to be ITC’s major growth driver, after FMCG. Dhobale spearheaded the growth, involving capital infusion of more than Rs 2,000 crore through organic as well as inorganic options.

Under his leadership, ITC’s Bhadrachalam emerged as the largest single-location paper mill in the country, producing more than 400,000 tonnes of paper and boards. He ensured 100,000 hectares of plantations were developed. As a result, the paper business of ITC, which was bleeding 12 years ago, turned around with the help of the clonal propagation programme. Profit margins improved 15-30 per cent while external risks were mitigated.

Innovation comes naturally to Dhobale. He completed his professional training in papermaking technology at mills in France and Sweden. A chemical engineer from IIT-Mumbai, Dhobale joined the erstwhile ITC Bhadrachalam Paperboards as a management trainee in 1977 and was elevated as the managing director in 2000.

Following the amalgamation of ITC Bhadrachalam Paperboards with ITC in 2002, and subsequent merger of Tribeni, Dhobale took charge of the paperboards & specialty papers business as divisional chief executive. In January, Dhobale was inducted on the ITC board. Apart from paperboards, specialty paper and packaging, he holds responsibility for finance.