Thomas Varghese
About Thomas Varghese
Thomas Varghese is the Business Head for Textiles, Acrylic Fibre, and Overseas Spinning at Aditya Birla Group, managing a $1.2 billion portfolio across multiple countries.
Company
Thomas Varghese currently serves as the Business Head - Textiles, Acrylic Fibre, Overseas Spinning at the Aditya Birla Group, based in the Mumbai Area, India. The Aditya Birla Group is a multinational conglomerate with operations spanning across 35 countries and revenues exceeding $48 billion. In his role, Varghese manages a $1.2 billion portfolio that includes Domestic Textiles in India, the Overseas Spinning businesses in Indonesia, Thailand, and the Philippines, and the Acrylic Fibre businesses in Thailand and Egypt.
Title
Thomas Varghese holds the position of Business Head - Textiles, Acrylic Fibre, Overseas Spinning at Aditya Birla Group. In this capacity, he oversees strategic planning, capex approvals, and people growth initiatives across various segments under his purview. He is responsible for the profitability, growth, and sustainability of businesses employing 16,000 people across five countries.
Education and Expertise
Thomas Varghese completed his Bachelor of Technology in Textile Sciences and Engineering from the Indian Institute of Technology, Delhi, between 1977 and 1982. He further enriched his knowledge by attending the Advanced Management Program at Harvard Business School, focusing on general studies. Varghese's academic background provides a solid foundation for his extensive expertise in textiles and management.
Professional Background
Thomas Varghese has a rich career trajectory spanning multiple leadership roles in various companies. He was the Business Head & CEO - Domestic Textiles Business at Aditya Birla Group in 2012 in Mumbai. Prior to this, he served as Business Head at Aditya Birla Retail Limited from 2008 to 2012. His earlier roles include Senior Executive President at Grasim Industries Limited | Pulp & Fibre from 2004 to 2007 and CMO & Executive President - Manufacturing from 1999 to 2004. He has also served in significant positions at Indo Rama Synthetics (I) Ltd. and Indian Organic Chemicals.
Achievements
Thomas Varghese has played a pivotal role in several key initiatives during his tenure. One notable achievement was leading the acquisition of a Chinese VSF Company in 2006, marking the first M&A for Aditya Birla Group in China. He also led the establishment of the Textile Research and Application Development Centre (TRADC) in Kharach, Gujarat, recognized as one of the top R&D complexes globally. Additionally, as part of the Aditya Birla Group's top leadership team, Varghese is actively engaged in HR, talent development, and strategic projects to drive group-wide initiatives.