In a move signaling a renewed focus on manufacturing leadership, Diamond Power Infrastructure Limited announced that Ashwani Saraf has been appointed Chief Operating Officer (COO) and designated as Senior Management Personnel, with effect from October 3, 2026. Simultaneously, Kalpesh Patel, the incumbent COO, ceased to hold the role and SMP designation as of the close of business on October 3, 2026. The leadership transition was approved at the company’s board meeting held on that date, underscoring a strategic shift to strengthen the company’s manufacturing leadership at a time of growth ambitions.
Ashwani Saraf brings more than three decades of experience in cables, automotive, power and telecom manufacturing, including multi-plant and multi-country operations with full P&L accountability. Most recently, he served as Director – Production & Technical at JJLAPP, Jakarta (a Jebsen & Jessen and LAPP Holding Asia joint venture), where he led end-to-end cable manufacturing across ASEAN for a business of about S$250 million. Before that, he was Vice President – Manufacturing at LAPP India, responsible for plant operations for a business of about ₹1,000 crore. His early career spans leadership roles at Cable Corporation of India (HT and EHV cables), RPG Cables (LT power and telecom cables), and UM Cables of the Usha Martin Group, after beginning at Tata Motors where he rose to Senior Manager over 12 years. He holds a B.E. in Mechanical Engineering from NIT Surathkal (1994) and is Motorola University–certified Six Sigma Green Belt.
Kalpesh Patel’s exit from the COO role is attributed to health considerations that prevented him from continuing in the position. The move hands over the reins of the company’s operational leadership to Ashwani Saraf, a transition the board frames as aimed at ensuring continuity in manufacturing leadership and operational execution as Diamond Power advances its expansion and production ambitions across its facilities.
The appointment of Ashwani Saraf, with a deep background in end-to-end manufacturing and multi-plant operations, positions Diamond Power to leverage his cross-border experience and process excellence as it pursues scale in its core cable and power segments. The change reflects a broader emphasis on strengthening the operating backbone of the business, aligning leadership with the company’s growth trajectory and manufacturing footprint.