Vedanta Aluminium appoints Pankaj Sureka as CHRO

Vedanta Aluminium, a leading Indian aluminium producer, announced the appointment of Pankaj Sureka as its Chief Human Resources Officer (CHRO) at its Jharsuguda plant in Odisha. He will oversee all aspects of the plant’s human resources strategy.

Sureka brings over 15 years of experience in HR to Vedanta Aluminium. He joins from Reliance Industries, where he most recently served as vice president – rewards. Prior to that, he held various leadership positions at Reliance, managing compensation & benefits, learning & development, and other HR functions, accumulating nearly 11 years of experience with the company.

Interestingly, his journey at Reliance began even earlier. Immediately after graduating with a Bachelor’s degree in Metallurgy and Materials Engineering from the Indian Institute of Technology Roorkee, Sureka started his career as a management trainee at Reliance for a year. However, his passion for HR led him to pursue a postgraduate degree in Human Resources Management from the Tata Institute of Social Sciences (TISS) in Mumbai.

Following his TISS graduation, Sureka embarked on his HR career path. In 2010, he joined Dr Reddy’s Laboratories as HRBP and IR Manager, gaining valuable experience for a year. He then moved to Wipro Technologies as an HRBP, further broadening his industry knowledge. Finally, in 2013, Sureka rejoined Reliance Industries as an HRBP, where he spent nearly 11 years, rising through the ranks to become Vice President – Rewards.

Sureka’s unique blend of technical expertise and HR knowledge, coupled with his diverse industry experience, positions him well to lead Vedanta Aluminium’s human resources team. He will play a crucial role in developing and implementing strategies to attract, retain, and develop the company’s talented workforce, which is essential for its continued success in the dynamic aluminium industry.