Board of Directors

Mr. Donald Stewart

Donald A. Stewart is Chief Executive Officer of Sun Life Financial Inc. Born in 1946, Mr. Stewart holds a degree in Natural Philosophy from the University of Glasgow, graduating in 1968 with first class honours. He became a Fellow of the Canadian Institute of Actuaries in 1972, and attended the Advanced Management Program of the Harvard Business School in 1991.

A native of Scotland, Mr. Stewart joined Sun Life Assurance Company of Canada in London, England in 1969 and emigrated to Montreal in 1972.

In 1974, Mr. Stewart left the Company to work as a consultant in Toronto. He returned in 1980 to lead the Canadian Group Retirement Services Division. From 1986 to 1998 he held successive leadership positions in mutual funds, information technology, trust services, actuarial and worldwide operations. In 1998 he was appointed Chief Executive Officer .

Mr. Stewart is a director of the Canadian Life and Health Insurance Association, the American Council of Life Insurers and international aluminum products company Novelis Inc. He is a member of the Board of The Geneva Association, an international insurance think tank and research institution. In 2009, Mr. Stewart was appointed Chairman of Canada's National Task Force on Financial Literacy.

Mr. Kumar Mangalam Birla

Mr. Kumar Mangalam Birla is the Chairman of the US $ 30 billion Aditya Birla Group, a global conglomerate with operations spanning 28 countries. A Chartered Accountant, Mr. Birla earned an MBA from the London Business School, where he is also an Honorary Fellow. An iconic figure, Mr. Birla holds several key positions on various regulatory and professional Boards. He serves on The Prime Minister of India's Advisory Council on Trade and Industry. He is a Director of the Central Board of Directors of the Reserve Bank of India and Chairman of the Staff Sub-Committee of the Central Board of the Reserve Bank of India.

He was the Chairman of the Board of Trade constituted by the Ministry of Commerce & Industry, and also Chairman of the Ministry of Company Affairs' Advisory Committee. He served as the Chairman of Securities and Exchange Board of India's Committee on Corporate Governance, and as Chairman of SEBI's Committee on Insider Trading. He has authored the nation's First Report on Corporate Governance.

Mr. Birla is on the National Council of the Confederation of Indian Industry (CII); the Apex Advisory Council of the Associated Chambers of Commerce and Industry of India, New Delhi and the Advisory Council for the Centre for Corporate Governance.

On the academic front, Mr. Birla is the Chancellor of BITS, Pilani, Hyderabad, Goa and Dubai. He is a Director on the G. D. Birla Medical Research and Education Foundation. He is on the Asian Regional Advisory Board of the London Business School. He has been inducted on the Economic Times Corporate Advisory Board.

In recognition of his exemplary contribution, The Banaras Hindu University awarded the D. Litt (Honoris Causa) Degree to him. The Honorary Degree of Doctor of Science (Honoris Causa) was bestowed on Mr. Birla for his invaluable contribution in the field of Business Administration by the G. D. Pant University of Agriculture & Technology, Pantnagar. "For the development of technology and also for involvement in the field of Industries in bringing up the country at par with other countries" the SRM University in Tamil Nadu conferred the Degree of Doctor of Literature on Mr. Birla.

Mr. Birla has been named "CNN-IBN Indian of the Year 2010 – Business", "for being the most outstanding business person and making a success out of most businesses including the sunrise sector". The All India Management Association (AIMA) has bestowed – The AIMA Managing India Awards 2010 "Business Leader of the Year". Among other accolades conferred on Mr. Birla, feature Bombay Management Association's "Entrepreneur of the Decade Award - 2009", The AIMA – "JRD Tata Corporate Leadership Award-2008", "The Corporate Role Model Award – 2008" by Amity International Business School, The Asia Pacific Global HR Excellence – "Exemplary Leader" Award, NDTV's "Global Indian Leader of the Year", and "The Most Socially Responsible Leader" by Outlook Business Magazine – all in 2007. Earlier, The Lakshmipat Singhania – IIM, Lucknow, National Leadership Award – 2006, was conferred on Mr. Birla by the Prime Minister.

Mr. Birla was also named the World Economic Forum's "Young Global Leader", "The Ernst & Young Entrepreneur of the Year, The Economic Times – "Business Leader of the Year", Business India's "Business Man of the Year", Business Today's "Young Super Performer in the CEO Category", NITIE's "Business Visionary", and the Bombay Management Association's "The Management Man of the Year".

To "salute his entrepreneurial excellence and exemplary contribution to Indian business", the All India Management Association conferred its "Honorary Fellowship" on him. Likewise, The National HRD Network named him "The Outstanding Business Man of the Year".

Mr. Ajay Srinivasan

Ajay Srinivasan is the Chief Executive at Aditya Birla Financial Services Group. Ajay holds a BA with Honours in Economics from St Stephens College, University of Delhi and an MBA from the Indian Institute of Management, Ahmedabad. Ajay Srinivasan has been with the Aditya Birla Group since July 2007.

In his role as Chief Executive, he sets the vision and provides strategic direction and leadership for the Group's Financial Services business which covers several verticals such as life insurance, fund management, private equity, wealth management, retail broking, capital markets based lending, corporate financing and general insurance broking. Under his leadership the financial services business has grown rapidly with an annual turnover of about $1.25 bn, over 5.5 million customers and a workforce of over 15,000 people.

Prior to joining the Aditya Birla Group, Ajay was Chief Executive, Fund Management at Prudential Corporation Asia. Under Ajay's leadership, Prudential's fund management operations in Asia grew rapidly, both organically and through acquisition. Ajay oversaw a business that spanned ten markets, including Japan, with total funds under management of about USD 70 Bn, which made it at the time the second largest retail fund manager in Asia.

As a member of Prudential Corporation Asia's Board of Directors, Ajay also oversaw the development of Prudential's retirement business in Asia.

Ajay joined Prudential in 1998 as Managing Director of Prudential ICICI Asset Management Company, Prudential's Indian fund management joint venture with ICICI Bank. Within two years of operation, Prudential ICICI AMC had grown to become the largest private sector asset management company in India.

Prior to joining Prudential, Ajay was the Deputy Chief Executive Officer and Chief Investment Officer of the Indian operations of Threadneedle Asset Management.

With a proven track record for building successful businesses, his experience in the financial services industry spans over two decades.

Ajay is engaged with several bodies including the Financial Planning Standards Board, the CII Committee on Financial Sector Reforms, The CII Committee on Insurance and Pensions and the FICCI Committee on Insurance.

Mr. Jayant Dua

Jayant Dua is the Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer at Birla Sun Life Insurance. He is a Chemical Engineer from IIT Delhi and an MBA. He also holds an Advanced Management Program (AMP) from Harvard Business School, USA. He has joined Birla Sun Life Insurance in July 2010.

In his role, he provides Birla Sun Life Insurance a strategic direction and leads the insurance team towards achieving rapid growth and profitability.

Prior to this, Jayant spearheaded Aditya Birla Insulators (ABI) in the capacity of President & CEO and was responsible for expanding ABI's customer base nationally and internationally, he was instrumental in making the ABI business the fourth largest in its segment globally. He has been associated with the group for the last 14 years and prior to his appointment with the Insulators Business, Jayant spent close to a decade in Groups' Cement Business in capacities as diverse as Marketing, IT and Strategy."

Mr. Bishwanath Puranmalka

Mr. Puranmalka is a Commerce and a Law graduate and also a Fellow member of the Institute of Chartered Accountants of India and Institute of Company Secretaries of India. He has been associated with the Aditya Birla Group in various capacities since the inception of his career. He has a total working experience of more than 45 years.

He has a rich experience in implementation and running of several manufacturing, training, service industry business and setting up Greenfield manufacturing operations. He is on the Board of various companies.

Mr. Dikran Ohannessian

Mr. Dikran Ohannessian is President of Sun Life Financial Asia and joined the organisation in 1976 and has held numerous leadership positions in the organization. He is a Fellow of the Society of Actuaries and the Canadian Institute of Actuaries and holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Mathematics from the McGill University in Montreal. He also completed the Program for Management Development at Harvard University.

At Sun Life Financial he is responsible for the Company's operations in Asia where it first began to operate in 1890 and today includes operations in Hong Kong, the Philippines, Indonesia, China and India. Dikran is based in Hong Kong in the Company's Asia Regional Office.

He has directly managed and led various businesses for Sun Life including the Company's individual insurance and group benefits operations in Canada and its joint venture life insurance activities in China. He has also been the Chief Financial Officer of Sun Life's Canadian operations.

Mr. Gian Gupta

Mr. Gian Prakash Gupta is a Director on the Board of the Company and is also an independent director on the Board of Aditya Birla Nuvo Limited (holding company of BSLI). He holds a Masters degree in Commerce from University of Delhi. He is also a member of the Audit Committee, Finance Committee and Share Allotment Committee of the Company.

Mr. Gian Prakash Gupta has been the former Chairman and Managing Director of Industrial Development Bank of India & Chairman of Unit Trust of India. He has wide and rich experience in Project Financing including Infrastructure projects, Capital Market, Financial Management and General Management. He is also on the Board of various other companies.

Dr. Rakesh Jain


Dr. Rakesh Jain is Managing Director of Aditya Birla Group's flagship company Aditya Birla Nuvo Ltd (ABNL). Dr. Jain completed his M.Tech from IIT Kharagpur and a Ph.D in Polymer Science and Engineering from the University of Akron and Ohio State University. Dr. Jain joined the Aditya Birla Group in August 2003 as Managing Director of Indo Gulf Fertilisers Ltd (since merged with ABNL in 2006), and Director of the Aditya Birla Group's overseas chemical business and World Class Manufacturing. In March 2005, he was given the additional responsibility of Global CEO for the carbon black business, which has grown strategically from a regional business to a global business. In December 2008, Dr. Jain was appointed Joint Managing Director of ABNL and subsequently Managing Director in July 2009. He is also Director of Group IT and a Director on the board of the Aditya Birla Management Corporation Private Limited. ABNL is a diversified conglomerate with multiple businesses in the services and manufacturing sectors. The businesses range from financial services to telecom, IT-ITeS to fashion and lifestyle, and manufacturing. While ABNL has multiple mature businesses, it continues to incubate new growth and long-gestating businesses for the Aditya Birla Group. Prior to joining the Aditya Birla Group, he was the President and CEO of GE Plastics India and South Asia since June 2001. In 1988, Dr. Jain joined the Advanced Technology Group at GE Plastics Electromaterials Division (EMD) in Coshocton, OH, USA. He served in a variety of leadership roles in technology, manufacturing, product management and audit staff at various GE businesses. He led GE Plastics-Huntsman JV at Albany, NY in 1995-1996, and was appointed the Business Six Sigma Leader in 1997. In January 1999, he was transferred to BOZ, Netherlands, to lead global manufacturing processes for GE Plastics where he led the stable operations concept to stretch the capacity without investment and significantly reduce the cost per unit. In 2000, he spearheaded the digitisation effort at GE which helped provide real-time business data transparency and significant reduction in backroom activities and paperwork.

Mr. Suresh Talwar

Mr. Talwar is a commerce and law graduate. He is also a qualified Solicitor and Advocate. He is a Partner of M/s Talwar, Thakore & Associates, a law firm he has founded in partnership with Shobhan Thakore. Prior to this he was also associated with M/s. Crawford Bayley & Company as a Senior Partner. He acts as legal counsel to numerous Indian companies, multinational corporations, Indian & foreign banks. His professional specialisation is in corporate law, corporate tax, foreign exchange laws, Monopolies & Restrictive Trade Practices laws, & international issue of securities by Indian companies. He also holds the directorship in several eminent public & private limited companies.

Mrs. Tarjani Vakil


With over four decades of experience in development banking, Ms. Vakil has held directorship of several renowned public sector companies such as LIC, GIC, ECGC and BHEL amongst others. Ms. Vakil started her career with Maharashtra State Finance Corporation (MSFC) in 1958 and assumed several responsibilities till she was assigned the responsibilities for the post of Assistant Secretary in 1965. She moved from MSFC to join Industrial Development Bank of India (IDBI) in 1965. After an illustrious seven-year stint at IDBI in the capacity of a Deputy General Manager, she joined EXIM Bank of India as General Manager in 1982. After a long - distinguished tenure of 16 years in EXIM Banks, she retired as Chairman and Managing Director (CMD) in 1996. Post her retirement, she is now a member of the board and sub committees of the board of various private sector companies.

Mr. Venkatesh Mysore

Mr. Mysore took over as the CEO & MD of KKR in Oct 2010. Prior to that he has had a very long and successful career spanning 25 years in financial services. Mr. Mysore holds a BA with Honours in Economics and an MBA from University of Madras. He also holds the professional designation of Chartered Life Underwriter (CLU) – American College, Philadelphia, PA.

He took over as the India Country Head of Sun Life Financial's India operations in Jan 2007. Prior to this, Mr. Mysore was the CEO & Managing Director of MetLife India. He was responsible for the start-up of the India venture. Mr. Mysore spent over 21 years with MetLife.

He immigrated to the U.S.A. in 1985 and joined MetLife as a sales representative. Since then, he held several positions of increasing responsibility within MetLife.

Mr. Mysore was the Chairman of The American Chamber of Commerce (AMCHAM) – Bangalore Chapter for the year 2002 – 2003. Several new members were inducted during his tenure. The AMCHAM invitational Golf Tournament was one of the many well-appreciated events rolled-out under his leadership. Other noteworthy contributions included arranging interactive sessions with key industry leaders and academicians as well as community and social drives. He was also a member of the Executive Committee of AMCHAM Bangalore. He is currently a member of the Young Presidents Organization – Mumbai Chapter.