Varun Berry Succeeds Vivek Mehra As Independent Director Of Havells India
Varun Berry has been appointed as an Independent Director of Havells India Limited, with effect from April 22, 2026. He has succeeded Vivek Mehra, who has resigned as an Independent Director with effect from April 22, 2026.
Further, Namrata Kaul and Ashish Bharatram have been reappointed as Independent Directors effective from the date of the ensuing annual general meeting (AGM) of the company. T.V. Mohandas Pai and Puneet Bhatia have been reappointed as Non-Independent Directors effective from the date of the ensuing AGM of the company.
Berry was associated with Britannia Industries from January 2013 and retired in November 2025 after serving as Vice Chairman, Managing Director (MD), and Chief Executive Officer (CEO). During his tenure, he was involved in the company’s operations and business strategy. He has around 40 years of experience across consumer goods companies, including roles at Hindustan Unilever and PepsiCo in India and overseas. His work includes managing start-ups, joint ventures, and business operations. He has completed a course in strategic management from the Wharton School and attended the Global Leadership Programme at IMD Business School.
Kaul is a banker with over 30 years of experience across corporate banking, debt capital markets, and corporate finance in India, Asia, and the United Kingdom. She served as MD at Deutsche Bank, where she led the Corporate Bank business in India. Her role included oversight of risk, credit, compliance, and regulatory reporting for the corporate portfolio. During her tenure in the United Kingdom, she was part of the bank’s strategic leadership team and set up an Asia Desk in London to support cross-border business. She was also a member of the Asia Executive Committee and served on the board of Deutsche Bank India. She currently serves as an Independent Director and Advisor on multiple Boards. She is a Chevening scholar from the London School of Economics and an alumna of the Indian Institute of Management Ahmedabad and Lady Shri Ram College.
Bharatram is the Chairman and MD of SRF Ltd. He became MD in January 2007 and was appointed CMD on April 1, 2022. He oversees the company’s operations across India, Thailand, the United Arab Emirates, South Africa, and Hungary. The company operates in fluorochemicals, specialty chemicals, performance films, technical textiles, and coated fabrics. Before joining SRF, he worked with American Express Bank in India and Toyota Motor Corporation in Japan. He was involved in the divestment of SRF Finance to GE Capital in 1997. He is associated with the Confederation of Indian Industry and has been part of the Young Presidents’ Organisation. He holds a degree from the University of Delhi and an MBA from Cornell University.
Pai has over 40 years of experience across finance, accounting, information technology, human resources, governance, policy, and the startup ecosystem. He is Chairman of Aarin Capital and a member of the advisory committee of the International Financial Services Centres Authority for GIFT City. He was the Chief Financial Officer (CFO) and Board Member at Infosys for 17 years. He has also served on the Boards of the Securities and Exchange Board of India and the National Stock Exchange (SEBI & NSE), and has been associated with institutions such as the Akshaya Patra Foundation. He received the Padma Shri in 2015 and the Karnataka Rajyotsava Award in 2008. He holds degrees in commerce and law and is a member of the Institute of Chartered Accountants of India (ICAI).
Bhatia is the MD and Country Head for India at TPG Asia. He joined the firm in April 2002 and is responsible for overseeing investment activities and operations in India. Before this role, he served as CEO of the Private Equity Group at GE Capital India, where he worked on building its direct and strategic investment platform. Earlier in his career, he was associated with ICICI Limited in project and corporate finance between 1990 and 1995, and later worked as a Senior Analyst at Crosby Securities, covering the automobile and consumer sectors. He holds a B.Com (Honours) degree from Shri Ram College of Commerce and an MBA from the Indian Institute of Management Calcutta.
