In a significant leadership transition, the Confederation of Indian Industry (CII) on June 1, 2025, announced the appointment of Rajiv Memani, Chairman and CEO of EY India, as the new President for the year 2025–26. Memani succeeds Sanjiv Puri, Chairman & Managing Director of ITC Ltd., who held the post in the previous term.

Memani brings with him decades of strategic and financial leadership, currently serving on the EY Global Executive Board as Chair of the Growth Markets Council. His work spans advising Indian conglomerates, global multinationals, and private equity firms on M&A, technology transformation, and capital allocation strategies. He was instrumental in establishing EY India’s Corporate Finance practice—now known as Strategy & Transactions—in the late 1990s.

A chartered accountant and an alumnus of Shri Ram College of Commerce, Memani has served on several high-level government committees, including the 2019 Direct Tax Code taskforce under the Ministry of Finance. He is also actively engaged in philanthropic and academic initiatives, chairing the Him Jyoti School for underprivileged girls in Uttarakhand and serving on the boards of IIM Sirmaur and KREA University.

New Appointments: Tata Chemicals’ Mukundan and Bharat Biotech’s Ella

Joining the leadership council, R. Mukundan, Managing Director and CEO of Tata Chemicals, has been named President-Designate for 2025–26. A Tata Group veteran with over 33 years of experience, Mukundan has worked across the Group’s chemicals, automotive, and hospitality verticals. He has chaired various CII committees, including those on industrial relations, environment, and quality standards.

Meanwhile, Dr. Suchitra K Ella, Co-founder and Managing Director of Bharat Biotech, has been appointed Vice President of CII for the term. Recognised for her contribution to biotech innovation and public health, Ella received the Padma Bhushan in 2022. She has previously held leadership roles within CII, including Chairperson of CII Southern Region and Founder Chairperson of the Indian Women’s Network.

Together, the trio represents a diverse and formidable leadership bench for CII, blending experience in financial strategy, industrial innovation, and public health entrepreneurship—a reflection of India Inc.’s evolving priorities in a globalised, post-pandemic economy.