Who is KC Jhanwar? UltraTech Cement Managing Director appointed as non-executive Vice Chairman from January

UltraTech Cement announced on Monday that Kailash Chandra Jhanwar, who is currently the Managing Director, will take over as non-executive vice chairman from January 1, 2027, after completion of his term on December 31. In an exchange filing, the Aditya Birla Group company also said that KK Maheshwari will step down as non-executive vice chairman effective January 1.Who is Kailash Chandra Jhanwar?According to his profile on the company website, Jhanwar has been the Managing Director of UltraTech Cement Limited since January 1, 2020. Chartered Accountant by qualification, Jhanwar joined the Aditya Birla Group in 1981 as a Management Trainee in its cement business.Throughout his four-decade-long career across the Aditya Birla Group, Jhanwar has held senior leadership positions across finance, operations, and general management in the cement and chemicals sectors. He brings strong expertise in large-scale project execution, manufacturing excellence, and commercial strategy, along with extensive experience in mergers, acquisitions, and post‑merger integration.Prior to his appointment as Chief Manufacturing Officer of UltraTech in 2016, he successfully led the Group’s Viscose Filament Yarn business and the Chlor-Alkali business.Roles and recognition beyond Aditya Birla GroupThe 69-year-old has also served as the President of the Cement Manufacturers Association (CMA) and was appointed Chairman of the National Council for Cement and Building Materials (NCB)Known for driving aggressive capacity expansions, digital innovation, and green energy initiatives, Jhanwar was recognized among Fortune India's Best CEOs for three consecutive years from 2023 to 2025.UltraTech Cement Q2 resultsOn Monday, UltraTech Cement, India's leading cement maker reported a 21.27 per cent increase in consolidated profit to ₹1,501.38 crore in the September quarter, helped by higher sales volume, cost optimisation, and focus on premium products.It had posted a net profit of ₹1,237.98 crore in the July-September period a year ago, the Aditya Birla Group flagship firm said in a regulatory filing.Revenue from operations was up 18.81 per cent at ₹23,295.07 crore in the September quarter of FY27 from ₹19,606.93 crore a year earlier.The company "performed well despite headwinds on account of a monsoon-affected quarter and the ongoing West Asia crisis", said UltraTech in its earnings statement.Total expenses of UltraTech were at ₹21,338.88 crore, up 18.44 per cent during the quarter under review.UltraTech Cement's total income, which includes other income, was at ₹23,405.96 crore, up 18.44 per cent in the September quarter of FY27.During the quarter, its domestic grey cement sales volumes rose robustly 13.8 per cent to 35.94 million tonnes (MT), from 31.58 million tonnes in Q2 FY26.Its product of white cement (domestic) was also up 2.6 per cent to 0.52 MT.This was "supported by disciplined execution, a wider market footprint, cost optimisation and a sharper focus on premium products", it said.Moreover, capacity utilisation of UltraTech Cement, the country's largest cement maker, increased to 71 per cent in the September quarter in comparison to 66 per cent in the corresponding period of the last fiscal year."Higher volumes and improved profitability strengthened UltraTech's position in the market," it said.In addition to that, UltraTech also said its sales realisation was also higher 2 per cent in the quarter under review.However, its overseas production was down 1.4 per cent to 1.75 MT in the September quarter.UltraTech's consolidated sales volume was up 12.9 per cent to 38.22 MT.