BackP&W India head Palash Roy Chowdhury to step down to pursue entrepreneurial interests
P&W is yet to name a replacement for Roy ChowdhuryPalash Roy Chowdhury is an alumni of DPS, RK Puram
PremiumMumbai: Palash Roy Chowdhury, managing director of the India operations of aircraft engine makers Pratt & Whitney (P&W), is set to step down from his position, which he has held since January 2011, to follow entrepreneurial interests.
Roy Chowdhury is likely to end his more than a decade-long association with United Technologies Corporation (UTC), parent of P&W, in the coming days. His last day at P&W is yet to be finalized. P&W is yet to name a replacement for Roy Chowdhury who tendered his resignation sometime last week.
"I have had a phenomenal journey over last 18 years with Pratt & Whitney and UTC, the last eight of which were in India," Roy Chowdhury said. "During this period India became the fastest growing aviation market globally and the company is well-poised for a strong period of growth in the country, I am now looking forward to pursuing some personal and entrepreneurial interests that I have nurtured for some time."
Though, Roy Chowdhury didn't elaborate on his future plans, he said he was working on a couple of options.
When contacted, a P&W India spokesperson said "After 18 years at UTC, Mr. Roy Chowdhury has elected to pursue opportunities outside of Pratt & Whitney. We wish him all the best in his future endeavours."
Interestingly, Roy Chowdhury's decision to step down from the helm of the Indian unit of the engine maker comes days after IndiGo, one of P&W's largest customers, ordered jet engines worth $20 billion from CFM International, a joint venture of General Electric Co and France’s Safran SA, to power 280 Airbus A320neo and A321neo aircraft operated by it.
IndiGo has an order book of 430 Airbus planes of the A320neo family, of which the first 150 aircraft are powered by engines from United Technologies Corp's Pratt & Whitney.
However, both IndiGo and P&W officials told Mint that IndiGo’s decision to drop Pratt and Whitney (P&W) in favour of CFM International for a $20 billion jet engine contract was driven by commercial considerations and not just technical or performance criteria.
"Roy Chowdhury's decision to step down from the helm of P&W India wasn't due to CFM bagging the order at the expense of P&W. Rather, he has had entrepreneurial interests for quite some time, which he now wants to follow," said a source with direct knowledge of the matter.
Alumni of Delhi Public School (DPS), RK Puram, Roy Chowdhury obtained his chemical engineering degree from Mangalore University in 1996. Subsequently, he completed a course in masters of business administration (MBA) from Michighan University in 2002.
Roy Chowdhury, who joined United Technologies Corporation (UTC) as program manager, global indirect procurement in 2002, was promoted as the company's India manager in May 2009.
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