Carlyle hires Anuj Poddar as Asia co-head GPS to improve portfolio performance

The newly created role for the former CEO of Bajaj Electricals is aimed at improving the PE firm's portfolio firms across India and Southeast Asia.

September 09, 2024

Global investment firm Carlyle has appointed Anuj Poddar to co-head of global portfolio solutions (GPS) for Asia, focusing on India and Southeast Asia (SEA).

In the newly created role, which FinanceAsia understands starts next month, Poddar (pictured) will work with Carlyle Asia’s country investment advisory teams, Janine Feng, vice chair of Carlyle Asia, as well as with Richard Elder, global head of GPS in the US, to help drive change and performance across the firm's portfolio companies, according to a company announcement. Poddar will be based in Mumbai.

Poddar has over 30 years experience in corporate leadership and management consulting, and will join Carlyle from Bajaj Electricals, a leading Indian consumer appliances and lighting solutions firm, where he served as CEO and helped turnaround the 80-year-old company.

Prior to Bajaj Electricals, Poddar was a member of the senior leadership team at Viacom18 Media in India, where he helped it grow into mass entertainment and expansion into regional and international markets, according to the announcement. While at Viacom18 Media, he also led strategy for MTV Networks Asia for SEA and China, based out of Singapore. 

Greg Zeluck, managing director and co-head of Carlyle Asia, said in the announcement: “[Anuj's] new role dovetails with our increased focus on enhancing portfolio company value creation and as we look to increase the number of control buyout deals that we do in Asia.”

Zeluck added: “We look forward to leveraging Anuj’s extensive experience, particularly in India, as we work with our portfolio companies, with the goal to strengthen and improve their operations, accelerate growth, and drive impact.”

Poddar commented: “Value creation is becoming increasingly complex and multifaceted across the region, and I look forward to working with the team and building on Carlyle’s global GPS capabilities to help portfolio companies seek to optimise performance in today’s fast evolving business environment.”

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