SWELECT Energy Systems Ltd., one of the premier providers of renewable energy solutions, has declared that the new Chief Executive Officer and Managing Director of the company has been appointed to the firm by the name of Dr. Arulkumar Shanmugasundaram, which is a major milestone in the development of the company.
Mr. R. Chellappan will become the Vice Chairman after several years of exemplary leadership and will continue to provide strategic direction and support of the core values, integrity, and culture of SWELECT.
Dr. Arul is an international expert with over 30 years of experience in the field of technology, manufacturing and renewable energy. In his most recent position, he was Executive Director (Operations) with Ayana Renewable Power, where he headed business development, engineering, technology, information technology and asset management. Ayana increased its portfolio by 5 GW during his tenure, of which more than 2.5 GW of assets were operating at the time the company was purchased by NTPC Green and ONGC Green at a price of $2.3 billion (USD).
Prior to this, Dr. Arul served as Chief Operating Officer of Tata Power Solar Systems over a period of seven years, where he helped the company to transform itself into a leading provider of EPC solutions in utility-scale, rooftop, and pump-based solar projects. His professional career started at Applied Materials in Silicon Valley, where he spent more than 15 years developing semiconductor equipment and also assisted in the establishment of a thin-film a-Si production line in India. Dr. Arul, who is an alumnus of IIT Madras, has earned his master and Ph.D. at Cornell University, USA. His combination of educational and business prowess and experience is singularly the right one to guide SWELECT into its next phase of growth.
Welcoming Dr. Arul, Mr. R. Chellappan said, “We are delighted to welcome Dr. Arul to SWELECT. His global experience, proven leadership, and passion for renewable energy will be invaluable as we strengthen SWELECT into a powerhouse across Solar Manufacturing, EPC, and IPP. This reflects our commitment to continuity with progress, anchoring our legacy while embracing the future of clean energy.”
Dr. Arul, on accepting his new role, stated, “It is a privilege and a huge responsibility to be the custodian of the legacy Mr. Chellappan has built. SWELECT has a strong financial base, high-quality assets, and deep customer trust. With proven market leadership for two decades in UPS under the Numeric brand, SWELECT is fully geared to provide the reliable BESS systems the renewable energy industry needs. I look forward to driving profitable business growth while addressing the interests of all stakeholders—customers, employees, and investors.”
Under the new management of Dr. Arul and still with the guidance of Mr. Chellappan as the mentor, SWELECT will experience faster innovation, growth and elevation of its leadership across the renewable energy value chain.
In the future in 2027, the strategic objectives of SWELECT will be:
- Over 1 GW in IPP projects
- Over 1 GW in EPC projects
- 2 GW in module manufacturing
- Acquisition into solar cell production.
