Ajay Gupta has been appointed as the Chief Executive Officer at Century Pulp & Paper, a prominent division of the Aditya Birla Group. With a career spanning over two decades, Ajay Gupta brings a wealth of experience and a distinguished track record in turning around large-scale operations and establishing globally competitive manufacturing facilities.
Before joining Century Pulp & Paper in June 2024, Ajay Gupta held several key leadership roles across various esteemed organizations. His most recent position was as Senior President and Unit Head at Grasim Industries Limited’s Pulp & Fibre division, another flagship company within the Aditya Birla Group.
Ajay Gupta’s leadership journey includes his time as a Business Unit Head at APRIL, where he was part of the Sateri Viscose Team in Indonesia. He was instrumental in establishing a significant global market presence for the company, having led the construction of the world’s largest integrated Greenfield Viscose manufacturing facility, a project valued at INR 5000 crore. His innovative approach to design and automation captured a 10% global market share within two years.
Before his tenure at APRIL, Ajay Gupta served as Site Head at Archean Group Company, where he led the establishment of a marine chemical complex in Gujarat, India. This project was notable for its national importance, as it included the indigenous manufacturing of Sulphate of Potash (SOP), a critical fertilizer previously imported for domestic use.
Ajay Gupta’s extensive experience also includes his role as Site Head at Indo Rama Synthetics (I) Ltd., where he managed the second-largest integrated polyester manufacturing complex in India. Under his guidance, the plant, with a turnover of USD 700 million, achieved remarkable performance improvements in both production capacity and market share, despite industry-wide challenges.
Ajay Gupta’s academic credentials are as impressive as his professional achievements. He holds a PhD in Business, Management, Marketing, and Related Support Services from Amity University, Delhi. He also completed an 18-month program on P&L Leadership at INSEAD, Singapore, further enhancing his strategic and operational expertise.