GBS Raju
Director
G B S Raju joined the family business, the GMR Group, in 1996 at the age of 22, and is presently the Business Chairman of GMR Airports Limited.
In addition to the Airports portfolio, he leads GMR Varalakshmi Foundation, the CSR wing of GMR Group and spearheads Information Technology & Digitalization across the Group.
Prior to this, he spearheaded the Energy Sector of the Group for over six years. During his stint in the Energy Sector, multiple power generation plants including transmission projects were implemented at various developmental phases, with an aggregate capacity of about 7500 MW. The Energy sector has a diversified portfolio of coal, gas, hydro, solar and wind-based power projects. Raju had held multiple positions in key areas of business, such as energy, airports and highways that are vital for India to fulfil its tremendous potential and economic development. He has been instrumental in establishing GMR as a key Infrastructure player with footprints in Indian and International markets.
He is also a member of the Group Holding Board, the apex decision-making body of the Group. His proactive and personalized approach to the business combined with competitive spirit has helped towards the growth of the Group and its various businesses.
Initially, he played a crucial role in shaping the overall strategy and positioning of the organization. He then took on the development and implementation of various projects of the Group. He pioneered the development of Power projects by setting up India’s first and the World’s largest floating barge mounted power plant – GMR Energy Ltd. He effectively steered the Group’s foray into the Roads Business by revolutionizing the road development projects. Today, GMR has a balanced Highways portfolio across the length and breadth of the country and is now one of the leading road developers in the country. He, as Group CFO, also successfully led the Group through GMR Infrastructure’s maiden IPO in 2006 and certain largest QIPs & Private Equity in the years 2007, 2010 & 2011 amounting to approx USD 3 billion in the Energy and Airport sectors of the Group.
With his far sightedness and entrepreneurial skills, Raju played a key role in leading GMR’s foray into the Airport Sector and in developing the Hyderabad, Delhi and Istanbul Airports, and in winning the Cebu Airport (Philippines), Mopa Greenfield Airport (Goa, India), Bhogapuram Greenfield Airport (Bhogapuram, India), Kualanamu International Airport, Medan, Indonesia and most recently signed the concession agreement for modernisationof Dr. Babasaheb Ambedkar International Airport, Nagpur, India. The Group was guided by his strategic vision indeveloping international business and building projects like, Sabiha Gokcen International Airport, Istanbul and a power project in Jurong Island in Singapore.
He is also an active member of the Global Leadership Community-YPO, for its Delhi & Emirates Chapters.