BPCL ex-chief Arun Singh to lead ONGC

Former BPCL chief Arun Kumar Singh has taken over as the new chairman and managing director of Oil and Natural Gas Corp (ONGC).

Singh assumed charge following an official order of appointment on Wednesday. ONGC didn't have a full-time chief since Shashi Shanker retired as chairman in March 2021. Singh has been appointed for three years, according to an official order, which also restructured the board of ONGC.

With effect from March, the current positions of director (onshore) and director (offshore) will merge into a new post of director (production). Another position of director (strategy and corporate affairs) will be created.


Singh's appointment as well as board-level changes are based on the recommendations of a search-cum-selection committee comprising PESB chairperson Mallika Srinivasan, oil secretary Pankaj Jain, and former Indian oil chairman B Ashok.

Singh, a trained mechanical engineer from NIT Patna, has spent more than 35 years in the oil and gas industry. He held several roles at BPCL before becoming its chairman in 2021. Singh is the first retired PSU chief to head ONGC.

He assumes charge at a time the global energy market is facing an unprecedented crisis, and the calls to become self-reliant in energy are getting louder.

Singh will have to lay out a new vision for the company and energize it to achieve higher goals.