PESB picks Arun Kumar Singh as next CMD of BPCL

The Public Enterprises Selection Board (PESB), the government’s head-hunter, has picked Arun Kumar Singh as the chairman and managing director of state-run oil refining and marketing firm Bharat Petroleum Corporation Ltd (BPCL).

Arun Kumar Singh is currently director, marketing at BPCL and holding additional charge of Director, Refineries.

PESB picked Singh from a shortlist of six candidates that included five from BPCL and one from Hindustan Petroleum Corporation Ltd (HPCL).

BusinessLine reported on April 27 that BPCL was staring at a director level vacuum as two more key officials superannuate in the next couple of months while the on-going privatisation exercise of the ‘Maharatna’ PSU gets bogged down by the devastating second wave of coronavirus cases sweeping the nation.

The company’s finance director N Vijayagopal will step down on July 31 upon superannuation, while human resources director K Padmakar will leave the company on December 31. Padmakar is also holding additional charge of chairman and managing director.

Singh’s selection will have to be ratified by the Appointments Committee of the Cabinet led by prime minister Narendra Modi.