Sudarshan Banerjee takes over as Essar Cellphone CEO
New Delhi: Mr. Sudarshan Banerjee, who used to head Amway's operations in India, is said to be taking over as chief executive of Essar Cellphone, one of Delhi's cellular operators, thus replacing the current incumbent Nalin Tikoo.

It is reported that, along with Mr. Banerjee, Mr. Sunil Sood has been appointed as head of marketing. Prior to this, Mr. Sood was with Pepsi in Bangladesh.

While these changes are said to be have been announced internally at Essar Cellphone, no official announcement has yet been made.

Both Mr. Banerjee and Mr. Sood are believed to have been inducted by Hutchison Whampoa, the Hong Kong-based conglomerate which has bought a 49-per cent stake in Essar Cellphone from Swisscom, the Essar group's former foreign partner. Hutchinson plans to introduce the Orange brand in New Delhi, thus replacing the Essar Cellphone brand.
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Ramco CEO to go, MD steps in
Chennai: Mr. S. Ramachandran, chief executive of Ramco Systems, who played a pivotal role in the company becoming India's first intellectual property company, has decided to leave the company. This resignation comes within six weeks of the company getting listed on the Madras Stock Exchange and the National Stock Exchange.

Mr. Ramachandran was also on the board of the company's two subsidiaries in Singapore and Malaysia.

Mr. P.R Venketrama Raja, currently Ramco Systems’ vice chairman and MD, is being re-designated to handle responsibilities of the CEO as well. As vice chairman, managing director and CEO, Mr. Raja will continue to be actively involved in all key strategic decisions of Ramco Systems with respect to technology and business directions.

In view of these changes, with effect from May 15, 2000, Mr. Lakshmi Narasimhan, a technocrat and business consultant, has been appointed as president of Ramco Systems. His last assignment was as deputy director of Institute of Systems Science (ISS), National University of Singapore and director of Consulting Services.
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Major top-level reshuffle at ICICI, banks and other financial institutions
Mumbai: The banking sector has been witnessing a slew of changes in the top echelons.

ICICI, which leads the pack, has recently promoted three general managers to the posts of senior general managers.

Ms. Chanda Kochhar will now head the infrastructure industry group, major clients group, structured products group, advisory services group and the strategy group of ICICI.

Mr. Nachiket Mor would continue to be in charge of the treasury, e-commerce group and the newly-formed social initiative group.

Mr. V. Srinivasan will continue as the managing director and chief executive officer of ICICI Infotech, while Mr. Ramni Nirula would be heading the northern operations of the major clients group.

Elsewhere, Mr. Sudhir Joshi has been appointed as the treasury head at HDFC Bank after the departure of Mr. Luis Miranda, who joined Chrysalis Capital as chief financial officer.

Mr. Joshi was earlier executive vice-president and treasury head at Times Bank and was absorbed into HDFC Bank as a result of the acquisition of the former by the latter.

Standard Chartered Bank has appointed Vikas Suri as the head of trading of both forex and money market operations after the exit of Sharat Anand, treasurer, Janak Desai, head, money markets, and Sanjay Bhasin, head, forex.
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