Rajesh brings over 36 years of experience across the Tata Steel Group to this leadership role, which he will undertake in addition to his existing responsibilities at Tata Steel UK.
Since joining Tata Steel UK as Chief Operating Officer in 2021 and becoming CEO in 2023, he has played a central role in reshaping the business, advancing its transition to low-CO2 steelmaking, and helping secure the future of domestic steel production in South Wales and beyond.
A graduate in electrical engineering from the Indian Institute of Technology (Banaras Hindu University), Rajesh has held several senior operational and commercial roles across Tata Steel Group. He has overseen major transformation programmes across global sites – from managing the Cold Rolling Mill complex at Jamshedpur to playing a key role in the integration of Corus Group into Tata Steel in 2007.
“It is an honour to be appointed Chair of UK Steel at such a pivotal moment for the industry," Rajesh commented. "This is a period of profound change – with significant challenges, but also real opportunities to strengthen the sector for the long term.
"I look forward to working with UK Steel members and stakeholders to help secure that future – working closely with Government on its Steel Strategy and addressing structural issues such as uncompetitive energy costs and the growing threat of high-emission steel imports”.
Gareth Stace, Director-General, UK Steel, added: “The appointment of Rajesh as Chair of UK Steel is excellent news for both UK Steel and our industry as a whole. Rajesh will bring a wealth of experience across both the global and UK steel industry to this role. His appointment could not have come at a better time as our industry looks to modernise and grow as Government prepares to publish its Steel Strategy this autumn.”
Rajesh is a Board member of Tata Steel UK and also chairs Surahammars Bruks in Sweden. He is a Fulbright Scholar with advanced management training from Carnegie Mellon University and CEDEP-INSEAD. A recognised technical innovator, he holds published research and patents in galvanised steel products and has been a member of World Steel Association committees and the Indian Institute of Metals.
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