Knauf India has announced the appointment of Pallavi Poddar as its Chief Human Resources Officer (CHRO), marking a strategic step in strengthening its leadership team as the company expands its footprint in the Indian building materials market. In her new role, Ms Poddar will oversee the company’s human resources function, with a focus on enhancing organisational capability, strengthening people practices, and fostering a performance-driven culture aligned with global standards. Her appointment comes at a time when Knauf India is scaling operations and reinforcing its position in the industry.
Ms Poddar brings over two decades of experience across multiple industries and international markets. Her expertise spans talent management, organisational development, and HR transformation, with a track record of supporting business growth through effective people strategies.
Prior to joining Knauf India, she served as Chief Human Resources Officer at Fenesta Windows, where she led talent initiatives and organisational development efforts. Her career also includes leadership roles at global companies such as Ingersoll Rand, Schneider Electric, and Nestlé, where she managed HR strategies across diverse geographies, including India, the Middle East, and Africa. An alumna of the Symbiosis Centre for Management and Human Resource Development (SCMHRD), Ms Poddar holds an MBA and is recognised for her ability to align workforce strategies with business objectives.
Sumit Bidani, CEO of Knauf India, expressed confidence in the appointment, stating that building strong teams and a clear people strategy remains central to the company’s growth plans. He noted that Poddar’s balanced and thoughtful approach to organisational development will support Knauf’s continued expansion.
Poddar shared that she looks forward to contributing to the company’s next phase of growth and working closely with teams to build a collaborative and high-performing work environment.
Knauf, headquartered in Iphofen, Germany, is a global leader in drywall and ceiling solutions, with operations spanning more than 90 countries. The company offers a wide range of products, including drywall systems, plasters, and insulation materials, designed to support efficient and sustainable construction.
With this leadership appointment, Knauf India reinforces its focus on building a strong organisational foundation to support long-term growth while continuing to deliver high-quality, sustainable building solutions to the market. Knauf is a global leader in drywall and ceiling solutions and is widely recognized as the world’s number one company in this segment. Established in 1932 by Dr. Alfons Knauf and Karl Knauf, the company was founded with a focus on advancing gypsum-based building materials that enable faster, more efficient, and higher-quality construction.
Headquartered in Iphofen, Bavaria, Germany, Knauf has grown into a major international organization with operations spanning more than 90 countries. The company runs over 320 production facilities worldwide and employs a global workforce of approximately 43,500 people.
Over the decades, Knauf has built its reputation on innovation, engineering excellence, and a strong commitment to sustainable construction practices. By combining advanced manufacturing technologies with continuous product development, the company delivers building solutions that meet the evolving needs of modern construction markets.
Its portfolio includes a wide range of high-performance products such as drywall systems, plasters, ceiling solutions, and insulating materials. These solutions are designed to improve construction efficiency, enhance building performance, and support energy-efficient design standards.
Quality and safety remain central to Knauf’s operations. Every product undergoes rigorous testing and certification processes to ensure compliance with international standards. In addition, the company places strong emphasis on environmental responsibility, integrating sustainable practices across its production and supply chain activities.
