The board of Coal India Limited (CIL), India’s largest coal producer, has appointed Chairman-cum-Managing Director B Sairam as the company’s Chief Executive Officer (CEO), consolidating top leadership as the miner aims to meet ambitious production targets. The dual role is expected to streamline decision-making, enhance operational efficiency, and strengthen governance at the Maharatna public sector undertaking, which contributes over 80 per cent of the nation’s domestic coal output.
The appointment, approved during a board meeting on 26 December 2025, aligns with the government’s broader objective of ensuring agile management in strategic energy sector enterprises. Officials note that the move could accelerate the PSU’s capacity to achieve its production goal of 875 million tonnes in 2025–26 while navigating diversification into critical minerals and improving operational performance across subsidiaries. Prior to assuming leadership at CIL, Sairam served as CMD of Northern Coalfields Limited (NCL), a wholly owned CIL subsidiary, where he was instrumental in enhancing production output and overseeing major project execution. He also held the position of Director (Technical) at Central Coalfields Limited (CCL), focusing on coal logistics, first-mile connectivity projects, and securing environmental and forest clearances. Industry experts observe that Sairam’s experience across technical, operational, and regulatory domains positions him to tackle the challenges of large-scale coal production while balancing sustainability considerations.
“Leadership consolidation at CIL is expected to facilitate swifter operational decisions and stronger accountability across subsidiaries,” said a senior industry official. Analysts add that the appointment reflects an increasing trend among PSUs to unify strategic and operational leadership, particularly in sectors where rapid capacity expansion is critical to meeting national energy needs. Coal India is also pursuing modernisation of its logistics and transport infrastructure, digitalisation of operations, and diversification into minerals such as coking coal and critical raw materials. With sustainability and environmental compliance increasingly shaping the sector, streamlined leadership could support CIL’s transition to more responsible, efficient mining practices.
The dual appointment has sparked discussion on governance structures in public sector enterprises, especially where production targets are intertwined with national energy security. Experts suggest that while centralising leadership can improve decision-making, it also requires robust oversight mechanisms to maintain accountability and transparency. As CIL embarks on its next growth phase, Sairam’s role as both CMD and CEO underscores the company’s focus on operational excellence, strategic diversification, and alignment with national energy objectives. The appointment also signals the government’s intent to strengthen leadership in energy PSUs while emphasising sustainability, efficiency, and long-term resilience in India’s coal sector.
Coal India Board Appoints B Sairam As Chief Executive Officer
