Dr Ashok Kumar Panda has assumed charge as Chairman and Managing Director of Steel Authority of India (SAIL) on 09 May 2026, succeeding his previous role as Director (Finance). He had also held the additional charge of Director (Commercial) for about nine months. The appointment follows a long tenure within the company.

Dr Panda joined SAIL as a Management Trainee (Technical) in 1992 after completing his Bachelor of Engineering in Electrical Engineering and has risen through operational and managerial ranks over more than three decades. He has held diverse responsibilities across multiple plants and units, acquiring experience in operational, financial and commercial domains. His career progression is characterised by steady advancement and sustained commitment to organisational objectives.

As Director (Finance), he led strategic initiatives to improve operational efficiency and profitability, driving technical interventions, enriching the product basket and revamping policies across operations, sales, marketing, human resources and finance. In the additional charge as Director (Commercial), he focused on aligning operations with market and financial goals, improving volumes, enhancing net sales realisation, lowering inventory levels and strengthening product branding. These combined roles contributed to integrated approaches aimed at performance enhancement.

As a people-centric leader, he is described as inclusive with strong execution capabilities and an ability to build effective teams. Upon assuming charge he set immediate priorities, including a planned capacity expansion to 35 million tonnes per annum (mn t per annum), elevated safety standards across workplaces and strengthened raw material security through enhanced domestic mining and exploration of overseas assets. He also prioritised expansion of market reach with a sharper focus on value-added products, stronger brand connect and sustained value creation for stakeholders.