Mumbai— In a significant leadership shift, Gautam Adani has stepped down from his executive role at Adani Ports and Special Economic Zone (APSEZ), transitioning into the position of Non-Executive Chairman, the company announced on Tuesday.
According to a regulatory filing, the APSEZ board approved the re-designation of Adani from Executive Chairman to Non-Executive Chairman, effective August 5, 2025. As a result, he will no longer be considered a key managerial personnel (KMP) of the company.
The decision aligns with provisions under the Companies Act that prevent individuals from holding multiple executive positions across group companies. APSEZ already has two executive directors — a Managing Director and a Whole-Time Director & CEO — making Adani’s shift a step towards regulatory compliance and strategic delegation. “This move will allow Mr. Adani to focus more intensively on the overall direction and growth of the broader Adani Group,” the company noted in its statement. He will, however, continue as Chairman of APSEZ.
Manish Agarwal has been appointed as an Additional Director (Non-Executive, Independent) for a three-year term starting August 5, 2025.
Gautam Adani, with over 33 years of experience, has led the Adani Group to become a globally integrated infrastructure conglomerate spanning logistics, energy, and resources sectors.
The leadership transition came alongside APSEZ’s quarterly financial results. For Q1 FY26, the company posted a net profit of ₹3,311 crore, marking a 7% rise from the previous year. Revenue surged 21% year-on-year to ₹9,126 crore, up from ₹7,560 crore.
CEO Ashwani Gupta credited the growth to robust performance in logistics and marine segments, which expanded two-fold and nearly three-fold, respectively.
