Amarjyoti Barua of Assam will lead the Mahindra Group’s Finance Organisation as the Group CFO (chief financial officer) effective May 17, 2024, stated a press release issued by the company.
Amarjyoti Barua joined the Mahindra Group on May 15, 2023, as executive vice president – Group Strategy. In this role, he led the group strategy office, working closely with the group’s overall portfolio of businesses, according to a statement of the company.
Before joining the Mahindra Group, Barua was with Baker Hughes for over six years. In his last role as Senior Vice President – Oil Field Services & Equipment (OFSE), he led the financial and operational transformation of OFSE which has a presence in more than 120 countries and has USD 14 billion in revenues. Before this, he was with GE for 18 years where he lived and worked in eight different countries across multiple industry verticals.
Amarjyoti Barua has an MBA from FMS Delhi and did his Bachelor’s in Economics (Hons) from Hindu College, Delhi University.
He hails from Baligaon in Jorhat.
His father retired from the Indian Air Force after serving the country for over 30 years. During this time, he was posted to cities all over India. As a result, Barua grew up across India in places like Chennai, Tezpur, Ludhiana, Gwalior, Ambala, Delhi, Bagdogra, etc.
“I changed schools almost every 2 to 3 years. Most of my schooling was in Kendriya Vidyalayas and Air Force Schools. So, you can say I am a true representation of middle-class India. During all this time living across India, my parents always made sure we had a strong ‘connect’ back to our roots in Assam,” Amarjyoti Barua said in a recent interview.
“We made it a point to visit Assam two to three times a year. They insisted that my sister and I speak Assamese at home and celebrate Bihu. We loved celebrating Durga Puja in our native village of Baligaon. And most of all we cherished meeting our cousins and going fishing with homemade fishing rods. I will never forget those moments. These memories keep me connected with Assam all the time, even though I no longer reside there.”
Following in his father’s footsteps, Barua wanted to join the armed forces. However, a setback in his teenage years, when he had to start wearing glasses, shattered his dream of becoming an army officer or an Air Force pilot.
Undeterred, he shifted his focus to pursuing an engineering degree from the prestigious IITs. Unfortunately, luck was not on his side as he didn’t perform well in the IIT entrance exam. Disheartened by the news, he found himself contemplating his future at home.
During this challenging time, a visit from a highly successful economist brought a turning point. Encouraged by the economist’s advice, Barua decided to explore economics, leading to his graduation in the field with the newfound goal of becoming an economist.
Throughout his college years, Barua immersed himself in reading, and it was during this period that he discovered the captivating world of corporate success stories, including Lee Iacocca’s turnaround at Chrysler. Intrigued by these tales, Barua found himself drawn to the corporate world.
Reflecting on his journey, he shared, “Sometimes in life, you have to go with the flow.” Barua’s trajectory, shaped by unforeseen twists and turns, ultimately guided him towards a successful career in the corporate realm.
