Orient Electric Limited , a CK Birla Group Company, has announced changes to its senior management team, marking a move to strengthen its leadership structure.

Key Appointments

The company has made the following key appointments:

Appointment Details

The Board of Directors, on the recommendation of the Nomination and Remuneration Committee, approved these appointments. The decision was made during a board meeting that commenced at 11:10 A.M. and concluded at 1:30 P.M.

Professional Backgrounds

Ajay Saraf

Mr. Saraf brings experience to his new role as BU Head of Switchgear and Wires. His career highlights include:

• Expertise in scaling businesses and driving operational excellence
• Leadership roles at companies like Legero India, Kingspan, Panasonic Life Solutions, Havells India, and Philips India
• Educational background includes a Bachelor of Engineering (Mechanical) and management programs from institutions like IIM Kolkata and IIM Bangalore

Aadarsh Rohira

As the newly designated Chief Digital & Information Officer, Mr. Rohira's experience includes:

• Leading IT initiatives and platform development
• Driving digital transformation at companies such as Hero MotoCorp, Vodafone Idea, and Unilever
• Educational qualifications include a PGDM from IIM Lucknow and a Bachelor of Engineering in Mechanical from IET, Indore

Rakesh Sorout

Mr. Sorout, now designated as Head Manufacturing Operations, brings:

• Experience in manufacturing operations, process improvement, and project management
• Prior roles at companies including Varroc Engineering, Bajaj Electrical, Havells India, LG Electronics, and Mushashi Auto India
• A degree in Bachelor of Technology from YMCA Institute of Engineering, Faridabad

These appointments are part of Orient Electric's efforts to strengthen its management team. The experience of the new appointees is expected to contribute to the company's strategic initiatives and operational excellence.

Orient Electric has stated that these changes are in compliance with Regulation 30 of the SEBI (Listing Obligations and Disclosure Requirements) Regulations, 2015. The company has also made this information available on its official website for investors and stakeholders.

Orient Electric Limited , a CK Birla Group Company, has reported a resilient performance in the second quarter of fiscal year 2026, despite facing seasonal headwinds. The company's consolidated revenue grew by 6.4% year-on-year to INR 703.00 crores, driven by strong momentum in emerging categories.

Segment Performance

The Lighting and Switchgear segment emerged as the star performer, posting an impressive 18.6% year-on-year growth. This growth was primarily attributed to continued distribution expansion and a sharpened focus on premium products. The company's lighting business, in particular, delivered an industry-leading performance, highlighting the success of its premiumization strategy.

Financial Highlights

The company's EBITDA rose 6.4% year-on-year to INR 38.00 crores, maintaining an EBITDA margin of 5.4%. Profit after tax saw a significant increase of 15.5% year-on-year, reaching INR 12.00 crores.

Strategic Initiatives

Orient Electric continued to focus on market expansion and portfolio diversification into emerging categories. The company successfully transitioned the Pune market from master distributor to direct-to-market (DTM), expanding its DTM footprint. Additionally, Madhya Pradesh and Chhattisgarh were added to the company's direct service network, enhancing customer experience through faster response times and more efficient last-mile service delivery.

Product Mix and Innovation

The company's premiumization focus continued to accelerate in Q2. In consumer lighting, premium SKUs contributed about 65% of sales, driven by an expanding portfolio of smart, decorative, and energy-efficient lighting solutions. In the fans segment, the share of premium and decorative models improved by almost 500 basis points, led by IoT-enabled BLDC range.

BLDC fans grew by 40% year-on-year, now contributing to almost 30% of domestic ceiling fan sales. New product developments contributed to nearly one-third of fan revenues this quarter, underscoring the company's innovation-led growth strategy.

Outlook

Orient Electric remains optimistic about the second half of the year. The festive season buildup, coupled with improving retail sentiment and normalization of channel inventory across the industry, is expected to drive stronger demand momentum. With regulatory developments like BEE Star ratcheting for fans effective January 1, 2026, premium and energy-efficient categories are poised for accelerated adoption in the coming years.

Ravindra Singh Negi, Managing Director and CEO of Orient Electric, commented, "Our strategic focus over the recent quarters centered around market expansion and portfolio diversification into emerging categories, translated into a healthy performance for the quarter. Supported by our strategic focus on category expansion and enhanced operational leverage, we strongly believe Orient Electric is well-positioned to outpace industry growth."

As Orient Electric continues to navigate the dynamic market landscape, its balanced approach towards growth with profitability and strategic initiatives in premiumization and distribution expansion are expected to drive sustained performance in the coming quarters.