Avinash Rao has been appointed as the next Managing Director & Chief Executive Officer of Mahindra Susten, the cleantech division of the Mahindra Group and an independent power producer (IPP) in India, with effect from September 24, 2025.

Avinash will spearhead Mahindra Susten's aggressive expansion plan in this position, guiding the business toward a more extensive and varied portfolio throughout the renewable energy value chain.

With more than 1.6 GW of completed projects and a strong pipeline of around 3.6 GW, Mahindra Susten offers solar, wind, hybrid, and C&I (Commercial & Industrial) solutions. 

The company is also actively creating capabilities in emerging sectors like as energy storage and integrated renewable energy solutions, setting benchmarks in reliable supply of clean energy, safety, diversity, quality, governance, and ESG principles.

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Speaking on the appointment, Dr. Anish Shah, Group CEO & MD, Mahindra Group, said, "At Mahindra, sustainability and climate action are not just priorities-they are core to our purpose”. 

“We are setting benchmarks in ESG and sustainability, and Susten plays a pivotal role in accelerating this vision. With 15 years of legacy in renewable energy and having a diversified portfolio, Susten is well-positioned to lead India's renewable energy transition”. 

“Avinash's deep expertise across the entire energy value chain-from platform creation to investment and operational excellence-will enable us to create long-term value for our stakeholders while accelerating the transition to a cleaner energy future."

 

The nomination was also praised by Ontario Teachers' Pension Plan ("Ontario Teachers'"), a longtime investor in Mahindra Susten.

Avinash Rao brings nearly three decades of experience across conventional energy, power transmission, and renewable energy sectors. 

He has the rare distinction of building energy platforms from scratch across multinational utilities, infrastructure funds, and NSE-listed InvITs. Most recently, he served as CEO of Sustainable Energy Infra Investment Managers Pvt. Ltd., the Investment Manager to Sustainable Energy Infra Trust (SEIT), India's largest pure-play Renewable Energy InvIT listed on the National Stock Exchange. 

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Prior to that, he held leadership roles at Edelweiss Alternatives backed Sekura India Management Limited and CLP India, where he was instrumental in building, acquiring, managing and scaling renewable energy businesses to new heights.