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Pune-based renewable energy giant Suzlon Energy today announced the appointment of Anjali Byce as its Group Chief Human Resource Officer, effective July 29, 2025. Byce will also be designated as a senior management personnel, stepping into a role critical to driving the company's workforce transformation under its Suzlon 2.0 strategy. Her appointment comes as Suzlon accelerates its global expansion across wind, solar, and energy storage technologies, with over 22 GW of installed wind capacity across 17 countries.
Byce succeeds Rajendra Mehta, who stepped down at the close of business on July 28 to pursue a consulting career. Suzlon acknowledged Mehta’s contributions over nearly four years, particularly in stabilizing HR operations during a period of strategic realignment. The transition is seen as part of a broader leadership refresh to meet the demands of rapid capacity scale-up.
Bringing approximately 27 years of cross-sector experience, Byce previously served as Chief Human Resources Officer at Tata Motors Passenger Vehicles Limited. Before that, she held senior HR leadership roles at Sterlite Technologies, SKF India, Thermax, and Cummins. Her early career includes positions at Bajaj Allianz Life Insurance and Tata Motors. This diverse background equips her to manage Suzlon's complex workforce needs, ranging from industrial relations and organizational development to health, safety, and corporate social responsibility.
At Tata Motors, Byce oversaw HR for the passenger vehicle business during a period of product transformation and cost optimization. At SKF India, she led talent management for the bearings and industrial solutions leader. At Cummins and Thermax, she handled large-scale manufacturing workforces and industrial relations in engineering-heavy environments. Suzlon expects her to apply these lessons to streamline its human resource function as it expands into new geographies and renewable energy project types.
Byce holds a master’s degree in applied psychology from the University of Delhi and a postgraduate diploma with HR specialization from the Symbiosis Centre for Management and Human Resource Development. She also completed executive education at IMD Business School. Her professional achievements include a CHRO of the Year award and recognition among the Top 100 Most Talented Global HR Leaders. Byce is also a published author, having contributed articles on leadership and organizational culture in print and digital media.
Suzlon's renewable energy portfolio spans more than 22 GW of wind capacity, and the company is actively expanding into hybrid projects combining wind, solar, and storage. The Suzlon 2.0 strategy, launched in 2023, focuses on operational efficiency, global project execution, and technology upgradation. As part of this, the company has been strengthening its leadership bench—recently appointing a new chief financial officer and expanding its project management team.
Industry analysts note that the appointment of an experienced HR leader like Byce signals Suzlon's intent to build a scalable talent pipeline capable of supporting both domestic and international contracts. "With renewable energy targets ramping up globally, Suzlon needs to attract and retain skilled engineers, project managers, and service personnel. Byce's background in large manufacturing and automotive companies—sectors known for rigorous workforce planning—could be a competitive advantage," said Priya Sharma, an energy sector analyst at Mumbai-based consultancy Energy Insights.
In her new role, Byce will oversee all human resource functions, including strategic HR planning, industrial relations, learning and development, and environmental management. She will also be responsible for embedding diversity and safety culture across project sites and factories. Suzlon's workforce is expected to grow significantly as the company bids for new projects under India's renewable energy mandates and other global markets.
Byce's immediate challenges include integrating HR processes across recently acquired subsidiaries, upskilling field technicians for next-generation turbine technologies, and managing labor relations across multiple states in India. Her experience handling unionized workforces at Cummins and Thermax is expected to be valuable in navigating these complexities.
With strong academic grounding, cross-industry exposure, and a track record of leading HR transformations, Anjali Byce steps into a pivotal role at Suzlon Energy as it races to capture a larger share of the global clean energy transition.
