Blue Star Reappoints B Thiagarajan as MD; Elevates Mohit Sud
Blue Star, a multinational company based in India that specializes in home appliances, has revealed a number of changes in its leadership team. Upon the conclusion of his current term as Managing Director on March 31, 2026, B Thiagarajan will be renewed for an additional term starting from April 1, 2026, until May 24, 2027, which is one day prior to his 70th birthday.
Thiagarajan's extensive career spans more than 40 years in both B2B and B2C industries, beginning his tenure at Blue Star in 1998. He assumed the role of Joint Managing Director in 2016 after being elected to the Board in 2013, eventually advancing to Managing Director in April 2019.
Also Read: NIIT Appoints Shilpa Dua as New Chief Human Resources Officer
Presently, he holds the esteemed positions of National Chairman at the Indian Green Building Council and the CII Green Cooling Council, having previously held leadership roles as President of the Refrigeration and Air Conditioning Manufacturers Association (RAMA) and Chairman of the CII Western Region.
Mohit Sud has been selected as the Executive Director of Unitary Cooling Products at Blue Star for a term of five years starting on April 1, 2026. Sud became a part of Blue Star in March 2025 as the Group President of Unitary Cooling Products, where he was responsible for managing the Room Air Conditioner and Commercial Refrigeration divisions.
Also Read: Ford Plans to Invest Rs 3,250 Crore in India
Before beginning his tenure at Blue Star, Sud accrued more than twenty years of experience at Hindustan Unilever, where he held leadership roles in sales and marketing for various categories such as Home Care and Beauty & Wellbeing across different regions. As Vice President in his last position, he was tasked with overseeing the expansion of high-end retail distribution for the Beauty & Wellbeing division.
Sam Balsara, the Chairman of Madison World, is scheduled to step down on January 31, 2026, at the conclusion of his two successive tenures as an Independent Director. Joining the Board of Blue Star in June 2017, Balsara was subsequently reappointed for a second term in June 2022.
Possessing more than 50 years of expertise in the realms of marketing and advertising, he has provided counsel to the company pertaining to brand development, consumer understanding, and media planning.
M S Unnikrishnan was appointed as an Independent Director starting from January 29, 2026, for a term of five years.
Prior to this role, he held the position of Head & CEO at the IITB–Monash Research Academy and had previously served as the Managing Director at the Thermax Group. In addition to his current directorship, Unnikrishnan is also a board member of KEC International, Kirloskar Brothers, Greaves Cotton, and Livguard Energy Technologies. Furthermore, he holds trustee positions at Akshaya Patra and Jehangir Hospital in Pune.
Also Read: Times Internet Elevates Sriram Hebbar as Group Business Head
Vir S Advani, the Chairman & Managing Director, remarked on the appointments. He credited Balsara for his instrumental role in enhancing the Blue Star brand's reputation and increasing its appeal to a younger demographic as well as in Tier 3, 4, and 5 markets.
Advani also noted that Unnikrishnan's extensive leadership experience and international perspective would bring significant value to the Board. Advani additionally pointed out that prolonging Thiagarajan's term would facilitate the advancement of strategic endeavors in the areas of growth, research and development, and manufacturing, while Sud's promotion underscores the organization's leadership succession strategy.
He conveyed his assurance that Sud's expertise in consumer engagement would enhance the company's market position and financial performance in the Unitary Cooling Products segment.