Honeywell Automation India Limited (HAIL NSE: HONAUT) today announced Dr. Ganesh Natarajan’s appointment as Independent Director (Non-Executive) and Chairman of its Board of Directors, effective March 8, 2021.

As Chairman of Board of Directors, Dr. Natarajan will offer guidance to HAIL’s management team on the company’s overall strategy, business, and financial matters. He will provide direction and Board support for strong corporate governance.

Dr. Natarajan succeeds Mr. Suresh Senapaty, who completes his five-year tenure as Independent Director and Chairman of HAIL on March 7, 2021. Mr. Senapaty has conveyed his desire not to seek reappointment as Independent Director of the company for the second term due to his personal commitments. Accordingly, his tenure as Director of the company will come to an end on March 7, 2021.

Mr. Ashish Gaikwad, Managing Director, HAIL, said, “Dr. Ganesh Natarajan brings with him a rich and varied experience as a seasoned CEO, a tech entrepreneur, and an industry thought leader. We look forward to his guidance and inputs to our strategic vision to become a software industrial company as we steer the company through an ambitious and aggressive growth path. We are also grateful to Mr. Suresh Senapaty for his valuable contribution to HAIL over the last five years. His legacy of good governance and controls will continue to serve us well.”

Dr. Ganesh Natarajan has more than 30 years of industry experience, including 25 years as CEO for Aptech and Zensar Technologies. He is a serial entrepreneur, having founded 5F World, a platform for digital start-ups, skills, and social ventures, and he co-founded Global Talent Track, Skills Alpha, and Lighthouse Communities Foundation. He also co-founded two Indo-U.S. joint ventures, namely Kalzoom Advisors and the Center for AI and Advanced Analytics. He completed his master’s in Industrial Engineering from NITIE Mumbai, Ph.D. from IIT Bombay, and Advanced Management Program from Harvard Business School.

Commenting on his appointment, Dr. Ganesh Natarajan said, “I have always been keenly interested in the role of digital technologies in re-engineering processes for the corporate and social sectors. I am excited to be part of Honeywell, a software-industrial leader that has been driving India’s move towards Industry 4.0.”

HAIL is listed on the Bombay Stock Exchange (BSE) and the National Stock Exchange (NSE), and is a leader in providing integrated automation and software solutions, including process solutions and building solutions. It has a wide product portfolio in environmental and combustion controls, and sensing and control, and provides engineering services in the field of automation and control to global clients.

HAIL was established in 1984 with its manufacturing, design, and engineering facilities located in Pune. Today, this Fortune India 500 company, has more than 3,000 employees spread across Pune, Ahmedabad, Baroda, Bangalore, Hyderabad, Mumbai, Chennai, Gurgaon, Kolkata, and Jamshedpur.

HAIL has the unique distinction of being one of the first automation companies in India to be awarded dual certification of ISO:14001 and OHSAS:18001.