Ayush Gupta: Leading Gail's Workforce Transformation Towards A Sustainable Future
Ayush Gupta
Director (Human Resources)
Effective HR leadership in this sector demands a focus on building a workforce that embodies resilience, innovation, and strong problem-solving abilities, ensuring that employees contribute effectively to the organization’s growth and the nation’s energy security. Ayush Gupta, Director (Human Resources) at GAIL (India) Ltd., is a prime example of an HR leader who excels in navigating these complexities.
Ayush Gupta attributes his success to a combination of competence, strategic vision, and a deep commitment to safety, sustainability, and human resources. With over 33 years of diverse experience across Human Resource Management, Projects, Operations, and Maintenance in the Oil & Gas sector, Ayush has been with GAIL for 27 years. He holds degrees from IIT Roorkee, an MBA in Operations Management, and a PG Diploma in Human Resources Management.
As one of the youngest Directors on GAIL's Board, he has been a strong advocate for sustainable business practices and gender equality. With initiatives like Spandan, Ojas, Abha, and Mentoring Journey ‘Saarthi’, his leadership integrates technical expertise with a focus on fostering an inclusive, high performance culture to support GAIL’s ongoing success and future growth. Let’s hear from him.
What are the biggest challenges you are finding solutions to today?
As Director on the Board in GAIL (a Maharatna PSU), OTPCL, GAIL Gas Ltd. , China Gas Holdings Pvt. Ltd., and as Chairman GMPL, I am responsible for fulfilling my duties with a business-oriented perspective.
One of the biggest business challenges I recognize in my industry is increasing the share of natural gas in India’s energy mix from 6 percent to 15 percent by 2030, while simultaneously aiming to achieve Net Zero targets.
This challenge is compounded by the need to reduce costs to remain competitive, improve performance, comply with stringent environmental regu- lations, and ensure plant reliability.
On the international front, the industry faces the volatility of oil and gas prices and the need for technological advance-ments, including carbon capture utili-zation & storage (CCUS) and digital transformation.
Now from the perspective of HR being a strategic partner to business, the critical challenge lies in reskilling the workforce to meet the dynamic demands of the energy sector. For organizations like GAIL, bridging skill gaps in new verticals like renewables and future fuels while retaining core talent is a major challenge.
It’s also essential to manage an aging workforce through effective succession planning and keep employees engaged through a modern, inclusive work culture. Balancing traditional PSU values with the integration of digital technologies and AI-based solutions adds another layer of complexity. Promoting diversity and ensuring women take on leadership roles are also priorities I’m focused on to build a sustainable future.
Tell us about your expertise in providing strategic guidance on organizational development?
Throughout my career, I have focused on workforce transformation to support a seamless energy transition. This involves targeted reskilling initiatives and strategic talent development to build a future-ready workforce. A key aspect of this is robust succession planning and modern talent acquisition practices, which help ensure we have the right people in place for the future.
In addition to talent management, I place great emphasis on cultivating an organizational culture that promotes innovation, inclusivity, and overall employee well-being. Driving digital transformation and effectively managing strategic changes are also crucial to keeping the organization agile and competitive in a constantly evolving market. These efforts combined help shape a dynamic, forward-thinking workforce capable of meeting both current and future challenges.
How do you identify areas for improvement and implement solutions?
I view improvements in an organization as falling into two categories, namely macro and micro levels. On the macro level, improvements involve strategic decisions like restructuring business verticals, adopting advanced technologies, navi -gating oil and gas price volatility, complying with environmental regulations, and transitioning to renewable energy.
On the micro level, improvements include add-ressing daily productivity challenges, providing local medical facilities for employees, offering workshops for retirees on managing post-retirement finances, and improving infrastructure at remote locations etc.
To identify these areas, I rely on industry reports, data driven metrics, employee surveys, feedback sessions, and benchmarking against industry best practices, tailored to our PSU context. GAIL, with its lean workforce across diverse and
It’s also essential to manage an aging workforce through effective succession planning and keep employees engaged through a modern, inclusive work culture. Balancing traditional PSU values with the integration of digital technologies and AI-based solutions adds another layer of complexity. Promoting diversity and ensuring women take on leadership roles are also priorities I’m focused on to build a sustainable future.
My roadmap focuses on driving innovation, sus-tainability and to lead initiatives in green hydrogen and renew-ables
Tell us about your expertise in providing strategic guidance on organizational development?
Throughout my career, I have focused on workforce transformation to support a seamless energy transition. This involves targeted reskilling initiatives and strategic talent development to build a future-ready workforce. A key aspect of this is robust succession planning and modern talent acquisition practices, which help ensure we have the right people in place for the future.
In addition to talent management, I place great emphasis on cultivating an organizational culture that promotes innovation, inclusivity, and overall employee well-being. Driving digital transformation and effectively managing strategic changes are also crucial to keeping the organization agile and competitive in a constantly evolving market. These efforts combined help shape a dynamic, forward-thinking workforce capable of meeting both current and future challenges.
How do you identify areas for improvement and implement solutions?
I view improvements in an organization as falling into two categories, namely macro and micro levels. On the macro level, improvements involve strategic decisions like restructuring business verticals, adopting advanced technologies, navi -gating oil and gas price volatility, complying with environmental regulations, and transitioning to renewable energy.
On the micro level, improvements include add-ressing daily productivity challenges, providing local medical facilities for employees, offering workshops for retirees on managing post-retirement finances, and improving infrastructure at remote locations etc.
To identify these areas, I rely on industry reports, data driven metrics, employee surveys, feedback sessions, and benchmarking against industry best practices, tailored to our PSU context. GAIL, with its lean workforce across diverse and
challenging locations, fosters open communication through regular Townhall meetings chaired by me to directly address employee concerns. Initiatives like Samanvaya, Spandan, and ABHA are key examples of how employee engagement leads to practical solutions.
Tell us about your leadership approach. What are the guidelines or methodologies you follow as a leader?
My leadership approach is built on strategic foresight, empathy, and collaboration. I believe that a leader’s role is to inspire and empower the team while providing a clear vision aligned with the organization’s goals. I guide my team by focusing on the 4 Cs, namely Competence, Connect, Communicate and Care. This involves fostering transparent communication, encouraging innovation, and creating an inclusive environment where diverse perspectives are valued.
I prioritize a people-first approach, actively listening to employees, under standing their needs, and designing policies that balance organizational goals with individual growth. Performance-based recognition and mentorship are central to my leadership, ensuring that team members feel supported in their career paths.
I also follow Agile and Adaptive Leadership principles, staying flexible and proactive in navigating economic, technological, and social shifts. By integrating adapt ability, transparency, and continuous improvement, I aim to guide GAIL through challenges while nurturing our workforce’s potential.
What is your future roadmap? Where do you aspire to be in the next few years, going forward?
My roadmap focuses on driving innovation, sustainability and to lead initiatives in green hydrogen and renewables beside strengthening our natural gas business while leveraging AI and Machine Learning to optimize operations. Financial resilience will also be a priority, through strategic partnerships and investments in renewable energy startups.
As regards HR space is concerned in particular, I aspire to implement innovative talent strategies, promote diversity and foster an inclusive, high-performance culture. Partnering with academic institutions to bridge skill gaps for future fuels will be key. My goal is to position GAIL as an exemplary employer, where organizational success, employee growth, and contributions to the energy sector’s future align, ensuring we remain agile, competitive, and sustainable.
Ayush Gupta, Director - Human Resources, GAIL (India)
Ayush Gupta, a graduate of IIT Roorkee with an MBA and a PG Diploma in HR, has over 33 years of experience in Human Resource Management and the Oil & Gas sector. With 27 years at GAIL, he’s one of the youngest Directors on its Board, advocating for sustainability, safety, and gender equality initiatives.
Tell us about your leadership approach. What are the guidelines or methodologies you follow as a leader?
My leadership approach is built on strategic foresight, empathy, and collaboration. I believe that a leader’s role is to inspire and empower the team while providing a clear vision aligned with the organization’s goals. I guide my team by focusing on the 4 Cs, namely Competence, Connect, Communicate and Care. This involves fostering transparent communication, encouraging innovation, and creating an inclusive environment where diverse perspectives are valued.
I prioritize a people-first approach, actively listening to employees, under standing their needs, and designing policies that balance organizational goals with individual growth. Performance-based recognition and mentorship are central to my leadership, ensuring that team members feel supported in their career paths.
I also follow Agile and Adaptive Leadership principles, staying flexible and proactive in navigating economic, technological, and social shifts. By integrating adapt ability, transparency, and continuous improvement, I aim to guide GAIL through challenges while nurturing our workforce’s potential.
What is your future roadmap? Where do you aspire to be in the next few years, going forward?
My roadmap focuses on driving innovation, sustainability and to lead initiatives in green hydrogen and renewables beside strengthening our natural gas business while leveraging AI and Machine Learning to optimize operations. Financial resilience will also be a priority, through strategic partnerships and investments in renewable energy startups.
As regards HR space is concerned in particular, I aspire to implement innovative talent strategies, promote diversity and foster an inclusive, high-performance culture. Partnering with academic institutions to bridge skill gaps for future fuels will be key. My goal is to position GAIL as an exemplary employer, where organizational success, employee growth, and contributions to the energy sector’s future align, ensuring we remain agile, competitive, and sustainable.
Ayush Gupta, Director - Human Resources, GAIL (India)
Ayush Gupta, a graduate of IIT Roorkee with an MBA and a PG Diploma in HR, has over 33 years of experience in Human Resource Management and the Oil & Gas sector. With 27 years at GAIL, he’s one of the youngest Directors on its Board, advocating for sustainability, safety, and gender equality initiatives.