Among India’s leading multi-business conglomerates, Max Group, that comprises three holding companies – Max Financial Services and Max Ventures & Industries and Max India - has announced certain leadership movements as present Vice Chairperson Mohit Talwar’s term approaches its end.

Talwar will step down from his position as Vice Chairman effective Jan 15th, 2021 and will also be exiting the Boards of Max Ventures & Industries, and Antara, the real estate arm of Max Group, within the first quarter of calendar year 2021. However, he will continue as the Managing Director of Max Financial Services Limited for another year to ensure continuity of key initiatives that are underway.

During his tenure as Vice Chairman, Talwar has been the key person for complex corporate transactions across the Group and successfully leveraged his strong relationships with institutional investors, hedge funds, banks, and private equity firms to play a central role in planning, bolstered by his wealth of experience in Corporate Finance and Investment Banking from his 24 years in Wholesale Banking with Standard Chartered, Bank of Nova Scotia and ANZ Grindlays. He has led multiple fronts such as effective alignment with Max Group’s valued joint venture partners; progressing new business opportunities organically and inorganically; optimising capital management & treasury, and managing investors.  

Among other leadership movements, Antara’s executive chairperson Tara Singh Vachani has been elevated to the position of Vice Chairperson, Max India, effective Oct 29th, 2020. Additionally, Antara’s CEO and MD, Rajit Mehta will be taking over as Managing Director, Max India, effective Jan 15th 2021. Both the leaders will take on the new roles while retaining existing roles and responsibilities

Vachani has played an instrumental role in charting the future of the Group, by foraying into the high-potential sunrise senior living (Antara) sector over ten years ago. Having developed and operated Antara’s first community in Dehradun, and currently its Executive Chairperson, Vachani  has been engineering the company’s transformation into a platform that offers multiple senior care services and solutions. In her professional journey, Vachani has won numerous recognitions for her exemplary and compassionate leadership. She was recognized as one of World Economic Forum’s Young Global Leaders and also was among the Economic Times 40 under 40 leaders in 2019.

Rajit’s journey began long ago as a Founder member of Max Life, which eventually led to him becoming its Chief Operating Officer. He played an instrumental role in steering the company in becoming the largest non-bank owned private life insurer in India. During his tenure with Max Group, Rajit also led Max Healthcare (MHC) to scale and profitability as its MD & CEO for 5 years, and supported and integrated two major acquisitions at MHC, parallelly seeding several alternate business models.

Commenting on the above leadership movements, Max Group’s Chairman, Analjit Singh said, “One of the defining characteristics of long-enduring organizations is how they manage both continuity and transition of top leadership. This factor has played a central role in Max Group’s longevity spanning over three decades. Our top leaders have enjoyed long tenures at the Group and have grown professionally through the years as the Group progressed and expanded.”

Speaking of Talwar’s term coming to an end, Singh added, “With 13 years at the Max Group, of which the last 8 years have been in the managing directorship position, Mohit epitomizes this complementary evolution of both the organization and its leader. His intent of handing over his responsibility in a phased manner is driven by his desire to ensure a seamless transition in the Group to which he has given so much of his time and effort.”

He further said, “In Tara and Rajit, we have the Max Group’s tenured top leaders. For Tara, Max India Vice Chairpersonship will be familiar grounds since she has been on the Board of Max India from Jan ’16. For Rajit, the Max India MD position complements the key position he already holds as the MD & CEO of its flagship business Antara. The additional role will allow him to align the interest of Max India and the strategic business choices of Antara. I have high conviction that this succession planning will ensure resilience and longevity, traits most in demand in the uncertain post-pandemic world.”