Arun Maira

Early life

Arun Maira was born in Lahore. He received his M.Sc. and B.Sc. in Physics from St Stephen's College, Delhi University.

Career

Arun Maira was part of Tata Administrative Services for 25 years and worked at various important positions in Tata Group till 1989. He was the first non-bumiputera CEO in Malaysia when he worked for Tatab Industries from 1977-79. He was board member of Tata Motors from 1981 to 1989. He was Resident Director from 1981–86 and Executive Director in Corporate Office from 1987-89. He played a key part in Tata Motors successful entry into the LCV segment. After this he worked with Arthur D. Little for 10 years where he was Leader of Global Organisation Practice and Managing Director of Innovation Associates, a subsidiary of Arthur D. Little. In 2000 Arun Maira returned to India and had held the position of chairman of Boston Consulting Group in India till April 2008.

After coming back to India in 2000 and prior to joining Planning Commission of India, Arun Maira has been on the boards of several companies which are listed below:

Any discussion on policy and the future of India is enriched with Arun Maira’s views, and not just because he was a member of the Planning Commission of India for five years till June 2014. Arun Maira is one of those rare people who have held leadership positions in both, the private as well as the public sector, bringing a unique perspective on how the two can work together to foster growth for India. He has led three rounds of participative and comprehensive scenario building for the future of India: in 1999 (with the Confederation of Indian Industry), 2005 (with the World Economic Forum), and 2011 (with the Planning Commission of India). In his career spanning five decades, Arun Maira has led several organisations, including the Boston Consulting Group in India. In the early part of his career, he spent 25 years in the Tata Group at various important positions. He was also a member of the Board of Tata Motors (then called TELCO). After leaving the Tatas, Arun Maira joined Arthur D Little Inc (ADL), the international management consultancy, in the US, where he advised companies across sectors and geographies on their growth strategies and handling transformational change. Another decade later, Arun Maira was back in India, this time as the Chairman of the Boston Consulting Group, a position he held for eight years till 2008. The other leadership positions he has held include being the chairman of Axis Bank Foundation and Save the Children, India. He was also board member of the India Brand Equity Foundation, the Indian Institute of Corporate Affairs, and the UN Global Compact, and WWF India.

Recognising his astute understanding of both macro as well as micro policy issues, Arun Maira has been involved in several government committees and organisations, including the National Innovation Council. He has been on the board of several companies as well as educational institutions and has chaired several national committees of the Confederation of Indian Industry.

In 2009, Arun Maira was appointed as a member of the Planning Commission of India, which is led by the Prime Minister of India. At this minister-level position, he led the development of strategies for the country on issues relating to industrialisation and urbanisation, and drove the formulation of policies and programmes in these areas. He also advised the Commission on its future role.

With his vast experience and expertise, Arun is indeed a thought leader. He is invited to speak at various forums and has written several books that capture his insights.