DR. Jairam Varadaraj (Managing Director): Dr. Jairam Varadaraj serves as the Managing Director of Elgi Equipments Ltd. and Board Member of Elgi Ultra Industries Ltd., Elgi Rubber Co., Magna Electro Castings, Precot Meridian Ltd. and Thermax Ltd. Dr. Varadaraj is a third-generation entrepreneur from the illustrious business family of LRG Naidu. For nearly 30 years, Dr. Varadaraj has led and guided the organisation’s business interests in textiles, polymers, mechanical machines and consumer appliances. Prior to which, for around four years, he was engaged in teaching and research in the United States.
Ramesh Ponnuswami (Executive Director): Ramesh Ponnuswami is responsible for ELGi’s business in SEA and Oceania. He is also the Director of ATS ELGI Limited, a wholly owned subsidiary of ELGi. He joined ELGi in November 2011. Prior to joining ATS ELGI, he was with the EID Parry (India) Limited, a Murugappa Group company, as Vice President – Operations. He was with Parry for ten years, handling several roles involving sugar, power and distillery plant operations, sales and marketing. He also led the project team that engineered, built and commissioned Asia’s largest port based sugar refinery. Before joining Parry, Ramesh Ponnuswami worked for five-and-a-half years at Sugar Research Limited in Australia as business development manager, responsible for selling technology and services to sugar companies worldwide. Ramesh Ponnuswami holds a mechanical engineering degree from India and an MBA from RMIT University, Melbourne, Australia. He was part of the Murugappa Group Business Leadership Program.
Chris Ringlstetter (President-Europe): Chris Ringlstetter is responsible for all of ELGi’s European operations, including Rotair. He has 25 years of business leadership experience with Ingersoll Rand and Doosan. His career has spanned application engineering, marketing, service and sales management, product management. He was the president of Ingersoll Rand’s air treatment division – a $200 million global business with full P&L responsibilities, including three manufacturing facilities. He has worked in multiple countries including the US, Germany, Italy, England and Belgium. He speaks English, German and Italian fluently. Prior to joining ELGi, Chris Ringlstetter was the European president of the Luminator Technology Group, which makes passenger information systems for the mass transit and aerospace industries. In this role, held full P&L responsibilities over Europe, ME, Africa and Asia and led two manufacturing facilities. Ringlstetter has an MBA from Duke University, and a BS in Mechanical Engineering from Michigan State University.
Bhavesh Karia( President, Isaame & Sea): Bhavesh Karia is responsible for the ELGi business in India, South Asia, Africa, the Middle East, and Southeast Asia. With a robust career spanning 27 years, Bhavesh brings extensive expertise, particularly in the Oil and Gas, Pipeline Infra, Power, and Infrastructure sectors. He has previously worked for Man Industries, Welspun Corp, Larsen & Toubro, and Aswan International Engineering. Bhavesh is a production engineer and has done his Management Education Program (MEP) at IIM Ahmedabad.
Brian Pahl (President-north America): Brian Pahl is responsible for ELGi North America business. Brian is a transformational leader with a proven track record of leading strategic planning, restricting operations, and executing inorganic and organic growth initiatives. He joined ELGi from Pfeiffer Vacuum where he served as the President of North America. Prior to Pfeiffer, Brian spent time in various strategic, commercial, and operational leadership roles at Denios and Mann & Hummel. Brian has an MBA from the University of Findlay in Ohio.
