Jio Platforms has appointed Pankaj Pawar as its Chief Executive Officer, placing a long-serving Reliance executive at the helm as the company moves ahead with preparations for its proposed initial public offering.
The appointment took effect on March 24, 2026. Pawar succeeded Kiran Mathew Thomas, who resigned from the CEO position on March 23. The leadership change was subsequently disclosed in Jio Platforms’ draft IPO papers filed in June.
Pawar will continue to serve as Managing Director of Reliance Jio Infocomm, the telecom subsidiary of Jio Platforms. Holding both positions gives him operational responsibility across the group’s digital services business and its principal telecom operation.
Pankaj Pawar to oversee Jio’s operating strategy
In his role as CEO, Pawar is responsible for the operational management of Jio Platforms and the execution of its business strategy.
His responsibilities cover the company’s mobility, home broadband and enterprise services. He will also oversee the development of Jio’s digital products and technology platforms.
Before taking charge as CEO, Pawar had served as a non-executive director of Jio Platforms. He stepped down from the board on March 23 and moved into the executive leadership role the following day.
Pawar, 53, joined the Reliance Group in 2000. He brings close to three decades of experience in building and expanding consumer-facing and digital-services businesses.
His appointment places the same executive in charge of Jio Platforms and Reliance Jio Infocomm at an important stage for the group. It also creates a clearer line of operating responsibility between the wider digital-services company and its telecom subsidiary.
Kiran Thomas steps down
Thomas’s departure marks a change in the senior leadership team that helped shape Jio’s expansion across telecom and digital services.
The available disclosures confirm that he resigned as CEO on March 23. They do not state a reason for his departure, and no reason has been attributed to him in this report.
The transition was completed without a gap in leadership, with Pawar assuming charge on March 24.
IPO to include up to 27 crore new shares
The management change has come into focus as Jio Platforms progresses with its proposed public offering.
The IPO is expected to comprise a fresh issue of up to 27 crore equity shares with a face value of ₹10 each. If the entire proposed issue is completed, the new shares would represent approximately 2.9 per cent of the company’s post-issue equity capital.
Jio Platforms had 893.9 crore outstanding equity shares before the proposed issue. Reliance Industries held 66.43 per cent of the company’s pre-issue equity.
The promoter’s final holding will depend on the eventual offer size and the number of shares allotted through the IPO.
Jio Platforms plans to use the net proceeds to repay or prepay a portion of Reliance Jio Infocomm’s outstanding borrowings. A part of the proceeds will also be available for general corporate purposes.
The draft papers do not disclose the issue price, price band, final amount to be raised or the valuation at which Jio Platforms could list. Those details will be determined later in the IPO process. Any fundraising or valuation estimates circulating outside the confirmed offer disclosures should therefore not be treated as final.
Leadership structure ahead of the listing
Mukesh Ambani serves as Chairman and Non-Executive Director of Jio Platforms, while Akash Ambani serves as Managing Director.
Akash Ambani’s designation was changed from Executive Director to Managing Director on April 9, 2026. The change was approved by shareholders on May 4.
Manoj Modi, Isha Ambani and Anant Ambani serve as non-executive directors. The board also includes independent directors Raminder Singh Gujral, Shumeet Banerji, Haigreve Khaitan, Dinesh Kanabar and Zia Mody.
Pawar’s appointment adds a dedicated CEO to this structure while keeping the management of Jio Platforms closely connected with the day-to-day operations of Reliance Jio Infocomm.
The leadership transition became effective in March, but its inclusion in the IPO disclosures has brought the change into wider public view. With Pawar now leading Jio Platforms while continuing to run its telecom subsidiary, the group enters the next stage of its proposed listing with a consolidated operating command.
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