Blue Star Ltd announced several board-level changes on Tuesday, with Shailesh Haribhakti succeeding Suneel M Advani as the Chairman of Blue Star with effect from April 1.

Advani will be retiring from the Board of Directors on March 31, in accordance with the retirement policy for Non-Executive Directors. His stint with the company is already the longest for any individual.

Haribhakti joined the Board of Blue Star in 2005 as an independent director, and will be the first professional, independent chairman in the history of the company.

“Haribhakti’s detailed knowledge of the company’s business and strategy, and of the external market environment, coupled with his expertise, honed over four decades by heading his own business practice, have been invaluable for the Board and the Company. His elevation underlines the importance the company and its promoters have always given to professional management,” the company said in a statement.

Vir S Adani has been elevated to Vice Chairman, and re-designated Vice Chairman and Managing Director with effect from April 1, 2019.

B Thiagarajan has been elevated to the position of Managing Director with effect from April 1, 2019.