In less than two months, the Confederation of Indian Industry (CII) has changed its president-designate for 2022-23. This is probably the first time that the country’s leading industry chamber has effected such a mid-course change in its top-level office bearers.

On Thursday, CII said that at a meeting of its national council, R Dinesh, executive vice chairman of TVS Supply Chain Solutions, has been elected as president-designate for 2022-23.

Earlier on May 13, CII had announced Hero MotoCorp chairman and CEO Pawan Munjal as its president designated for 2022-23, whereas Dinesh had then taken over as vice president.

The mid-course change assumes importance because the president-designate becomes the president of the chamber the following year. Now Dinesh will become president next year (2023-24) instead of Munjal.

While CII did not offer any comment regarding this quick change, it is understood that Munjal had business commitments.

Following the dropping of Munjal as president-designate and Dinesh being appointed in his place, Sanjiv Puri, chairman and managing director of ITC has been elected as vice president.

Sanjiv Bajaj, chairman and managing director of Bajaj Finserv, will continue to be president for 2022-23. He had taken over from T V Narendran, CEO and managing director of Tata Steel, in May.