Johnson Controls-Hitachi Air Conditioning (JCH) India Limited announced the appointment of Sanjay Sudhakaran as new managing director, India and South Asia region, effective July 1.
Sudhakaran will succeed Gurmeet Singh, who has stated his intention to pursue other interests, has stepped down as chairman and managing director on June 30. He will remain as senior advisor to JCH – India until September 30. Sudhakaran and Singh will work closely together to ensure a smooth transition.
“I am delighted to join Johnson Controls – Hitachi (JCH) India Limited,” said Sudhakaran. He added, “I will drive profitable growth, with a focus on gaining market share, improving profitability, and creating long-term value for all our stakeholders.”
He began his career with Carrier Corporation in 1993 and was the regional director for ASEAN and India when he left in 2011. He also served as the country head and managing director of Carrier Commercial Refrigeration. Sudhakaran previously worked for United Technologies as managing director, buildings and industrial solutions and for Otis Elevator as senior director, Asia Pacific, mergers and acquisitions, sales and marketing before joining Schneider Electric in 2019.
Sudhakaran has served as the Managing Director and CEO of Schneider Electric Infrastructure India since 2021. He has held multiple P&L and commercial roles while also leading manufacturing initiatives to drive profitability in businesses he has led.
Singh is a renowned figure in the HVAC sector in India. In his second stint with JCH India (JCH-IN), he was appointed senior vice president in 2014. From 2001 to 2012, he worked for Hitachi in various roles in sales, marketing, and general management. As the head of the India business unit since 2017, Singh has been instrumental in company’s significant growth under his dedicated leadership and earned coveted chairman’s Award for JCH-IN in 2018.
“I wish Sanjay Sudhakaran every success,” said Singh.