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Revamp, reshuffle at RPG group

Our Bureau

CALCUTTA, Dec. 14

MAJOR organisational changes have been made by the Rs 6,500-crore RPG group. The changes were announced by the group Chairman, Mr H.V. Goenka.

The changes pertain to reclassifying some of the existing business sectors and regrouping others to enhance core competence, according to a statement issued by the group.

The reorganisation covers some of the main business areas such as tyre, IT and telecom, and the retail sector. The other sectors in which the group has a presence are power, chemicals and financial services.

Mr Paras Chowdhury, President and CEO of the communication sector, has been appointed President and CEO of the tyre sector comprising Ceat, Philips Carbon Black and Ceat's tyre business in Sri Lanka. Mr Chowdhury takes over from the Ceat Managing Directo r, Mr S. Samuel, who retires on January 15, after serving the group for over 30 years.

In this context, RPG sources said Ceat was the only Indian tyre major with manufacturing facilities abroad. Associated Ceat Pvt Ltd, the company in Sri Lanka, has 73 per cent of that country's market. Referring to Philips Carbon Black, sources said the c ompany was India's largest and the world's seventh biggest carbon black manufacturer.

Mr Pradipto Mohapatra, President and CEO of the retail sector, has been appointed head of the IT and telecom sector. The companies in this fold include RPG Cellular Services, RPG Cellcom, Sprint RPG, RPG Paging Services, Fujitsu-ICIM, Datacraft RPG and R PG Netcom.

The retail sector has also been reorganised. Mr Raghu Pillai, Managing Director of Foodworld Supermarkets Ltd, will be the head of the retail sector, which will include FoodWorld, MusicWorld, Health and Glow, and Cash and Carry as also tyre, batteries & accessories project, according to the press note.

Mr Abhik Mitra, who is the new Managing Director of Saregama India Ltd (erstwhile Gramophone), has been designated head of the entertainment sector comprising Saregama India, Saregama Plc, RPG Global Music, Hamara CD Inc and E-RPG.