Leadership reshuffle at Saurashtra Cement Limited centers on the Paints Division, where Mr. Surender Bhatia has resigned as Chief Executive Officer and designated Key Managerial Personnel, effective at the close of business hours on 14 August 2026. The board has moved promptly to appoint Ms. Sonali Sanas as Chief Executive Officer — Paints Division, with effect from 16 August 2026.
Ms. Sonali Sanas is set to lead the paints business after more than a decade with the group. She currently serves as Chief Legal Officer and Company Secretary, and for the past year has also taken on the role of Chief Human Resource Officer. Her background spans governance, human resources, and business operations across Cement, Steel, Media, and Family Office sectors, with prior leadership stints at Ispat-Mittal Group, Hathway Cable & Datacom, and the Dainik Bhaskar Group. A qualified Company Secretary with a law degree and a postgraduate degree in Financial Management, Sanas has also pursued executive programs at prestigious institutions including Wharton, IIM, and ISB.
The internal transition signals a continuity-focused leadership approach, leveraging an insider who already understands the Paints Division’s dynamics and the broader company’s governance framework. Surender Bhatia’s departure marks the end of a chapter for the Paints Division, while Sanas’ ascent is positioned to preserve momentum and institutional knowledge as the division pursues its strategic priorities.
Industry observers will be watching how the Paints Division adapts to leadership change and maintains performance in a competitive market. With an executive who has long been embedded in the company’s governance and HR functions at the helm, Saurashtra Cement aims to navigate the transition with a steady hand and an eye on long-term growth.