The Confederation of Indian Industry (CII) announced its new leadership team for the 2026-27 term, with R. Mukundan assuming office as the President. Mukundan, who is the Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of Tata Chemicals, succeeds Rajiv Memani as the head of the premier business association. The leadership transition also includes the appointment of Suchitra K. Ella as President-Designate and Shashwat Goenka as Vice President for the same term.
New Leadership of the Confederation of Indian Industry
R Mukundan Assumes Presidency
The newly constituted National Council of the industry body elected R. Mukundan as the President for the 2026-27 term. He succeeds Rajiv Memani, who served as the President during the previous term. Memani is the Chairman of EY India (Ernst & Young India) and led the industry association through major discussions on corporate governance, tax reforms, and digital transition. Mukundan will lead the organization’s initiatives to represent and promote Indian industry interests globally and domestically during the 2026-27 term.
Suchitra Ella and Shashwat Goenka Appointed to Key Roles
The National Council also selected Suchitra K. Ella as the President-Designate and Shashwat Goenka as the Vice President for the same term. Under the standard succession protocol of the organisation, the President-Designate typically transitions to the presidency in the following term. These appointments bring representation from diversified sectors including chemicals, healthcare, and retail to the core leadership.
Profile of the New Office Bearers
R. Mukundan
R. Mukundan has served as the Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of Tata Chemicals Limited since November 2008. He joined the Tata Administrative Service in 1990 and has built a career spanning more than three decades within the Tata Group. During this time, he held leadership roles across various sectors, including chemicals, automotive, and hospitality.
Mukundan is an alumnus of IIT Roorkee, where he completed his Bachelor of Engineering in Electronics, and the Faculty of Management Studies, Delhi University, where he earned his Master of Business Administration. He also completed the Advanced Management Programme at Harvard Business School. In addition to his corporate role, he serves on the boards of several entities, including Rallis India Limited and Tata International Limited.
Suchitra K. Ella
Suchitra K. Ella is the Co-founder and Joint Managing Director of Bharat Biotech International Limited, a leading biotechnology and vaccine manufacturing firm founded in 1996. Ella holds a Bachelor of Arts in Economics and Social Sciences from the University of Madras, along with post-graduate credentials in business development and real estate management from US universities, and patent law from NALSAR University of Law in Hyderabad.
Ella has been a strong advocate for industrial development and has previously served as the chairperson of the CII Southern Region. She was awarded the Padma Bhushan in 2022, one of India’s highest civilian honours, in recognition of her contributions to trade and industry.
Shashwat Goenka
Shashwat Goenka is the Vice Chairman of the RP-Sanjiv Goenka Group, a diversified business group with presence in multiple sectors. He joined the family business in 2011 and has led the group’s retail and Fast-Moving Consumer Goods (FMCG) sectors, including founding RP-SG FMCG. Goenka holds a Bachelor of Science in Economics from the Wharton School at the University of Pennsylvania, with specialisations in finance, marketing, and management.
He has been actively involved in industry representation, having previously served as the President of the Indian Chamber of Commerce and holding key positions in other industry bodies like the Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FICCI).
History and Evolution of the Confederation of Indian Industry
Historical Transition
The Confederation of Indian Industry (CII) is India’s premier business association, with a history that spans more than a century. It began in 1895 when five engineering firms established the Engineering and Iron Trades Association (EITA) in Calcutta (now Kolkata). The primary objective was to facilitate government orders for the domestic engineering industry.
Over the decades, the organisation went through several mergers and name changes to reflect its changing composition and the expansion of the Indian economy.
| Year | Organisation Name | Significance of Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1895 | Engineering and Iron Trades Association (EITA) | Founded by five engineering firms to represent industrial interests |
| 1912 | Indian Engineering Association (IEA) | Renamed to focus specifically on Indian engineering enterprises |
| 1974 | Association of Indian Engineering Industry (AIEI) | Formed by merging IEA with the Engineering Association of India |
| 1986 | Confederation of Engineering Industry (CEI) | Restructured to represent the growing engineering industry at a national level |
| 1991 | Confederation of Indian Industry (CII) | Renamed to represent all industrial and manufacturing sectors in India |
In 1991, amidst India’s economic liberalisation, the organisation adopted its current name to represent a wider industrial mandate beyond engineering.
Structure and Governance
The CII is a non-governmental, not-for-profit, industry-led, and industry-managed organisation. It operates under a federal structure with a national council and regional committees. The national headquarters is located in New Delhi, and it has regional offices across India along with representative offices abroad.
The daily operations and administrative functions of the association are overseen by a Director General. Chandrajit Banerjee has served as the Director General of CII since May 2008. The organisation’s membership includes both public and private sector enterprises, representing Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) as well as Multinational Corporations (MNCs).
Key Takeaways
- R. Mukundan, the Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of Tata Chemicals, has been elected as the President of the Confederation of Indian Industry (CII) for the 2026-27 term.
- The newly elected CII leadership includes Suchitra K. Ella as the President-Designate and Shashwat Goenka as the Vice President.
- R. Mukundan succeeds Rajiv Memani, the Chairman of EY India, who served as the CII President for the previous term.
- The Confederation of Indian Industry (CII) was originally founded in 1895 as the Engineering and Iron Trades Association (EITA).
- The CII is headquartered in New Delhi, and its administrative functions are led by Director General Chandrajit Banerjee, who has held the office since May 2008.
