Born in 1979, Mr. Riju Jhunjhunwala graduated in Business Management studies from University of Bradford, UK, in 2000. Thereafter, he became actively involved in the functioning of the LNJ Bhilwara Group, a Rs. 6,500-crore business conglomerate having presence in textiles, graphite electrode, power generation and IT services.
Upon completion of his extensive training, he was given the first assignment in the exports marketing division of the flagship company, Rajasthan Spinning & Weaving Mills Ltd. (RSWM). Subsequently he was with Malana Power Company Ltd. as Senior Vice President, where he was involved in execution of power projects and operations.
He spearheaded the group’s foray into the IT services sector through Bhilwara Infotech Ltd. and Bhilwara Scribe Ltd. Today Bhilwara Infotechnology Ltd. has carved out a profitable niche market for itself and is the preferred business partner with renowned IT companies.
Mr. Jhunjhunwala was appointed Joint Managing Director of RSWM Ltd. on October 23, 2003. As part of the growth strategy, modernization and expansion of textile capacities were undertaken across the business: spinning, weaving and fabric processing.
He had identified denim as an opportunity area for RSWM. This vision resulted in the creation of a world-class integrated denim plant from spinning to processed denim fabric, taking advantage of cheap and ready availability of cotton. He has also focused on growth the inorganic way through acquisition of Jaipur Polyspin Ltd. and Cheslind Textiles Ltd.
He has fully realised the need for switching over from oil-based captive power plants to coal-based ones. Anticipating the rise in fuel prices, he has been instrumental in ensuring that the project work on the 46 mw coal-based thermal power plant was taken up on a war footing with strict time schedules. Today the captive thermal power plant is fully operational and is providing the desired impact to the company’s bottom-line.
While being deeply involved in the traditional business of the group, Mr. Jhunjhunwala is also spearheading the third major business area of the group, namely, power. Encompassing his Power Vision, the LNJ Bhilwara Group has consolidated its core strengths into the power sector by incorporating Bhilwara Energy Ltd. (BEL) in 2006. BEL is the principal holding company for all the power ventures of the group.
The formation of BEL reinforces the group’s incisive focus on the power sector and its determination to attain the expansion of its power generation capacity of 2000 mw by 2017 in the renewable energy sector. The company currently has 278 megawatt operating project mainly in Himachal Pradesh.
Mr. Jhunjhunwala was re-appointed Joint Managing Director of RSWM Ltd. with effect from May 1, 2013. He continues to be the Managing Director of BEL and Non-Executive Director on the Boards of HEG Ltd., BSL Ltd., Bhilwara Infotechnology Ltd., Bhilwara Technical Textiles Ltd. and Cheslind Textiles Ltd.