Petronet LNG MD Race: Interviews Likely on October 1, Five Names in Contention
Sanjay Kumar of GAIL (India) Limited said to be front runner with strong political backing
Interviews for the post of Managing Director & CEO of Petronet LNG Ltd (PLL) are expected to be conducted on October 1, 2026, marking a crucial stage in the process to identify a successor to incumbent MD & CEO Akshay Kumar Singh. Petrowatch has reported that the interviews are scheduled for October 1, while the formal selection process has already been initiated.
Singh’s extended tenure runs until May 12, 2027, and Petronet LNG has begun the process of selecting the next occupant of the post well ahead of his superannuation. Petronet’s website continues to list Singh as MD & CEO.
Five names emerge in the race
At least five senior executives have been publicly identified as potential contenders for the position.
According to a report by Petrowatch, the names being discussed include:
- Sanjay Kumar, Director (Marketing), GAIL (India) Ltd
- Arvind Kumar, Director (Refineries), Indian Oil Corporation
- Suman Kumar, Director (Planning & Business Development), Indian Oil Corporation
- Ayush Gupta, Director (Human Resources), GAIL
- Mahesh Gupta, Director (Marketing & Finance), National Fertilizers Ltd
The front runner is said to be Sanjay Kumar with his experience in LNG sourcing and marketing. He became GAIL’s Director (Marketing) in June 2023 and had earlier served as Managing Director of Indraprastha Gas Limited. Sources say that his proximity with several big political leaders, is an added advantage for his candidature.
Arvind Kumar brings experience in refinery and large-project execution. He assumed charge as IndianOil’s Director (Refineries) in July 2024 and subsequently took additional charge of the pipelines portfolio.
Suman Kumar has been IndianOil’s Director (Planning & Business Development) since February 2025.
Ayush Gupta has been GAIL’s Director (Human Resources) since August 2022 and has an electrical engineering background with experience in operations and maintenance.
Mahesh Gupta, Director (Marketing & Finance) at National Fertilizers, has previously handled business-development responsibilities in the gas sector at IndianOil.
The appointment is being handled through a search-cum-selection committee of Petronet LNG’s Board, comprising representatives of the company’s major shareholders, an independent director and an outside expert. The company’s four major shareholder oil and gas companies – IOCL, GAIL, ONGC and BPCL – each hold 12.5% in Petronet LNG.
The October 1 interviews are expected to provide the next major indication of who could eventually take charge of Petronet LNG.
