About Us

Heinrich Ludger Heuberg

Chief Financial Officer Continental Europe at Thomas Cook Group plc and Member of the Board at Thomas Cook AG.

Ludger Heuberg, born on November 30th 1958 in Duisburg in Germany, is Chief financial Officer (CFO) Continental Europe at Thomas Cook Group plc since July 2008. As CFO he is responsible for the group's finance in Continental Europe. Ludger Heuberg is also director of finance and personnel on the management board at Thomas Cook AG.

After completing his period of study and obtaining a degree in business management at Westfalische Wilhelms-University in Munster, Germany, Ludger Heuberg started his professional career in 1985 as a trainee at the micro-electronic centre of the Robert Bosch Group in Reutlingen, Germany. 1986 he was appointed to the position of head of the commercial director's office at Bosch. A mere two years later, he became head of department with responsibility for reporting and divisional controlling. He was then put in charge of company controlling and reporting in 1989.

1991 saw Ludger Heuberg move to Werner & Pfleiderer GmbH in Stuttgart, a Krupp subsidiary, where he was appointed as commercial director of the plastics engineering division. Two years later, he moved on to Rheinmetall AG in Dusseldorf to set up and manage a corporate development and central controlling division at the company.

Between 1996 and 1998, Ludger Heuberg worked as finance director at the quoted Mauser Waldeck AG, Chairman of the management board at Mauser Office GmbH in Korbach, Germany and executive manager at Rheinmetall AG. February 1998 saw him appointed as finance director at Kolbenschmidt Pierburg AG in Dusseldorf, a company quoted in the M-dax.

Ludger Heuberg moved to Lufthansa Cargo AG in March 2002, where he was made management board member in charge of the company's personnel and finance activities.

With effect from January 1st 2004, he was appointed to the position of director of finance and personnel on the management board at Thomas Cook AG in Oberursel, Germany. On June 19th 2007 Ludger Heuberg became Chief Financial Officer at Thomas Cook Group plc and was in charge of finance, controlling and portfolio management.

On July 1st 2008 Ludger Heuberg returned to Oberursel for private reasons to resume the position of CFO Continental Europe. Furthermore, he is member of the Group Executive Board.

He was appointed on the Board of Thomas Cook (India) Limited w.e.f. 27th February 2009.

Mr. Vinayak Purohit

Mr. Vinayak Purohit, born on 3rd November 1955, is a Chartered Accountant and a Finance person by profession. He joined Thomas Cook (India) Limited as its Executive Director – Finance with effect from 14th May 2007. Mr. Purohit is a graduate of the Commerce discipline from Mumbai University, as also an Associate of the Institute of Chartered Accountants of India.

Mr. Purohit started his career in 1979 as an Accounts Officer with Nirlon Limited. In 1984, he moved to Britannia Industries Limited where for 8 years he was working as Corporate Accounts Manager. In 1992, he joined Marico Industries Limited as General Manager – Finance. From 1997, he has been serving as Chief Financial Officer of Companies such as GE Countrywide Financial Services Limited, Rediff.com India Limited, BPL Mobile Communications Limited, Crest Animation Limited and HT Media Limited.

He joined Thomas Cook (India) Limited with effect from 14th May 2007 from HT Media Limited, New Delhi where he held the position of Chief Financial Officer for a year. He has recently been re-appointed for a further term of three years w.e.f. 14th May 2010.

HOSHANG SHAVKSHA BILLIMORIA

Mr. Hoshang Billimoria (Chartered Accountant), born on 7 July 1951, completed his schooling from St. Xavier’s High School, Bombay. Following that, he completed his degree in Commerce with Bombay University at Sydenham College. At the Bombay University degree examination, he stood first in the whole University amongst candidates offering Accounting & Auditing as special subjects. Thereafter he completed his articles in London with Ernst & Whinney and qualified as a Chartered Accountant from the Institute of Chartered Accountants of England and Wales. At the Institute examinations, he was twice the winner of the Deloitte Pleinder Prize.

After qualifying, he spent a year in London practicing with Ernst & Whinney after which he returned to Bombay and joined the Ernst & Whinney representative firm in India, S. B. Billimoria & Co. In 1979, he became a partner of S. B. Billimoria & Co. and was a partner in this firm for the next ten years. As a partner of S. B. Billimoria & Co. he was advisor to a large number of clients in the Indian Corporate Sector.

In 1988, he took over charge as Deputy Chief Executive Officer of Tata Sons Limited. His responsibility in Tata Sons Limited was in the area of Group policy and co-ordination. He took over as Managing Director of Tata Press Limited in May 1990. As Managing Director of Tata Press (Tata Infomedia), he was responsible for a big turnaround in the Company’s fortunes. He directed the entry of the Company into the Information Services business (Yellow Pages, Special Interest Publications, and Database Services) where it became the market leader. He was with the Company till August 2004 as Vice-Chairman & Managing Director. In 2005, he was appointed the Chief Executive Officer of Next Gen Publishing Ltd., a Forbes group and HDFC Venture.

Hoshang is also on the board of several companies in the Indian Corporate Sector such as HDFC Asset Management Company Ltd., Council for Fair Business Practices, Travel Corporation (India) Limited and Fenner Conveyor Belting Limited. He was appointed as a Director on the Board of Directors of Thomas Cook (India) Limited w.e.f. 7th December, 1983.

Ramesh Savoor

Savoor has spent 34 years with Castrol India Ltd., 12 of these, as Chief Executive and Managing Director. Savoor has worked in various capacities in the company, starting off as a Management Trainee and working his way up to reach the top as its Managing Director. Under his leadership Castrol India grew from being a minor oil company to becoming the Number 2 lubricant company in India and the second largest Castrol Company worldwide. Two years before retirement, BP took over Burmah Castrol worldwide, and in the new combined operations Savoor was made business unit leader for India / Middle East and Africa, apart from being the MD for Castrol in India. As a business unit leader, he was on the board of Castrol International.

Savoor has gone through the gamut of all corporate functions like, Sales, Marketing, R & D, Production Projects, supply chain & H R, either as in charge of the function or as CEO.

Savoor is on the boards of four listed companies. E. I. D. Parry Ltd., Automotive Stampings & Assemblies Ltd. (a TATA Enterprise), Coromandel International Ltd. & Foseco India Ltd., as an independent Director. He is the Chairman of Foseco. He is also on the board of three other Pvt. Companies 1) FIL Fund Management Pvt. Ltd., a subsidiary of Fidelity International; 2) Divgi - Warner, a joint venture with Borg Warner, a leading US specialist in Auto Transmission. 3) Parry Infrastructure Pvt. Ltd., a 100% subsidiary of EID Parry.

Savoor is also on the board of Governors of IIM Bangalore for the last six years.

Savoor was born in Madras on 24th April 1944. He did his graduation from Ruia College Mumbai, with Chemistry as the principal subject. He proceeded to complete his B sc. Tech. from UDCT in Oils Fats & Waxes., in the year 1968. He has also completed a four week Senior Executive Programme at the London Business School.

Savoor is a keen sportsman having interest in mountaineering, badminton and swimming at school and college level. After retirement he enjoys Golf at least thrice a week. His other interests are photography and Indian Classical music.

Savoor joined the Company Board with effect from 29th May 2009.

Krishnan Ramachandran

An Electrical Engineer from BITS Pilani, with a Post-graduate degree in Business Management from the Indian Institute of Management Calcutta, Kris started his career with the Tata Administrative Service (TAS). The major part of Kris's career has been with two Companies: fourteen with Philips Electronics and seventeen with Voltas, a Tata Group Company, and his experience has been across a wide range of assignments. He is currently engaged with the Aditya Birla Group as an Advisor for the Group's Higher Education Projects.

His 17 years with Voltas were in technology intensive businesses in the power electrical industry, and spanned manufacturing, marketing, sales and project management before he headed the Electrical Business Group as Business Head and General Manager (Operations) in which assignment his major contribution was in turning around the business.

Kris accepted Philips' invitation in 1993 to head its Human Resource function for India (with an 11,000 strong workforce). He was instrumental in successfully addressing a large number of legacy people practices and dysfunctional trade unionism, and in effecting a major transformation in installing a strong performance culture, and performance driven people policies and practices. In 1998 he was appointed the first Indian Vice Chairman & Managing Director for Philips Electronics' Indian operations, and was given additional responsibility as CEO for the Indian Subcontinent (SAARC) in 2006. As a member of the Global Philips apex Leadership Group of 100, Kris played a major role in renewing the Group's focus on Emerging Markets and in laying the foundation for building sustainable new business models relevant for emerging markets. As CEO for the Indian Subcontinent, he was accountable to the Group Board of Management.

People, Business Excellence, Transformation, Change, and Innovation best capture Kris's learning, contributions and leadership capabilities, and these have become his professional interests.

In his current role as Advisor he is working with the leadership of one of India’s leading science and technology universities in developing and implementing a strategy to further raise the excellence level to prepare it for the coming decade. He also advises and works with several companies in these areas. He was the President of the Bombay Chamber of Commerce and Industry (BCCI), a premier Chamber of Commerce, during 2002-2003.

Kris joined the Company Board with effect from 29th May, 2009.

Madhavan Menon

Madhavan (B.A. (Business), Georgetown University, USA., MBA, Finance & International Business, George Washington University, USA), born on 12 February 1955, was appointed as an Additional and Executive Director-Foreign Exchange for 3 years with effect from 1st May, 2000 to 30th April 2003, re-appointed for a further period of 3 years w.e.f. 1st May 2003 to 30th April 2006. He was appointed as the Managing Director of Thomas Cook (India) Limited (TCIL) with effect from 27th April 2006 and has been recently re-appointed for a further term of three years w.e.f. 1st May 2009.

He has a total experience of over 30 years. His previous assignment prior to joining TCIL was as Chief Operations & Administrative Officer of Birla Sunlife Asset Management Co. (AMC) Ltd. His expertise spans over Banking, Finance and Travel-related Foreign Exchange Management.

His responsibilities in TCIL include achievement of planned revenues through business development and growth.

Rakshit Desai

Mr. Rakshit Desai, [B.Com. (Sydenham College, Mumbai University), MBA in International Business (Graduate School of Management, Griffith University, Australia) and M.Sc. (Econ.) PWE (The London School of Economics & Political Science (LSE), London, UK)], born February 20, 1976, was appointed as Executive Director – Travel Services on the Board of Thomas Cook (India) Limited with effect from 25th November 2008. He has recently been re-appointed for a further term of one year w.e.f. 25th November 2010.

Rakshit started his career with a brief stint at Contract Advertising, Mumbai in 1998. He then joined Roland Berger Strategy Consultants, London in 2000 where he specialised in strategic and transformational issues for major multinational corporations. In 2003, as a consequence of his impact and relationships at one particular client, he joined the Thomas Cook Group.

At Thomas Cook, he has had the privilege of engaging across a broad range of strategic, commercial and operational areas internationally. The successful restructuring and turnaround of the Canadian retail business led to a series of Director-level roles responsible for: the outsourcing and offshoring of the UK back office; leadership of thomascook.com; M&A in Financial Services; and lately membership of the UK Executive Board overseeing strategic planning, post-merger integration and general business transformation.

He has worked and travelled extensively across Europe, the Middle East and North America and currently lives with his family in Mumbai.

Anant Vishnu Rajwade

Mr. A. V. Rajwade, born on 29th September 1936, is an independent forex and treasury management consultant for more than two decades now. He has done his B.Sc. (Hons.) with Major in Statistics and also holds the membership of C.A.I.I.B.

He was working the State Bank of India from July 1957 to October 1976 (including 3½ years in London) where he specialised in industrial finance and international banking.

He has been involved in preparing treasury management policies for corporate clients in the public and private sectors. He has also done advisory work on treasury-related issues for banks and financial institutions. As a visiting professor, he has taught a paper “International Banking and Finance”, for 4 years at the Indian Institute of Management, Ahmedabad, one of the most prestigious management institutes in the world.

The Reserve Bank of India also appointed him as a Member of the Expert Group on Development of the Foreign Exchange Markets in India (1995) and of the Committee on Capital Account Convertibility (1997).

Mr. Rajwade currently holds the position of a director in several public and private limited companies as well as Member/ Chairman of various Committees of these companies. He is also a former member of the supervisory board of India Opportunities Fund, Bermuda and Mauritius, and Director of CRISIL, India's first credit-rating company. He was appointed as a Director on the Board of Directors of Thomas Cook (India) Limited w.e.f. 21st January 2006.

Mahendra Kumar Sharma

M. K. Sharma, 63, retired as the Vice-Chairman of Hindustan Lever Limited in May 2007.

He holds Bachelors Degree in Arts as well as Law.

He joined Hindustan Lever Limited in 1974 as Legal Manager and worked in various areas including taxation, shares and legal. He was inducted into the Board of Hindustan Lever Limited in August 1995 and was the vice Chairman from April 2000 till May 2007.

Sharma is currently a Director of ICICI Bank, ICICI Lombard, Fulford India Limited, Birla Corporation Limited, Schrader Duncan Ltd. and Sanmar Group Advisory Board.

Sharma is also actively involved in various industry associations. He is a Member on the Board off Governors of the Anglo Scottish Education Society.

Sharma joined the Company Board with effect from 29th May, 2009 and has been appointed as the Non-Executive Chairman of the Company w.e.f. 14th December 2010.

Heinrich Ludger Heuberg 10

Chief Financial Officer Continental Europe at Thomas Cook Group plc and Member of the Board at Thomas Cook AG.

Ludger Heuberg, born on November 30th 1958 in Duisburg in Germany, is Chief financial Officer (CFO) Continental Europe at Thomas Cook Group plc since July 2008. As CFO he is responsible for the group's finance in Continental Europe. Ludger Heuberg is also director of finance and personnel on the management board at Thomas Cook AG.

After completing his period of study and obtaining a degree in business management at Westfalische Wilhelms-University in Munster, Germany, Ludger Heuberg started his professional career in 1985 as a trainee at the micro-electronic centre of the Robert Bosch Group in Reutlingen, Germany. 1986 he was appointed to the position of head of the commercial director's office at Bosch. A mere two years later, he became head of department with responsibility for reporting and divisional controlling. He was then put in charge of company controlling and reporting in 1989.

1991 saw Ludger Heuberg move to Werner & Pfleiderer GmbH in Stuttgart, a Krupp subsidiary, where he was appointed as commercial director of the plastics engineering division. Two years later, he moved on to Rheinmetall AG in Dusseldorf to set up and manage a corporate development and central controlling division at the company.

Between 1996 and 1998, Ludger Heuberg worked as finance director at the quoted Mauser Waldeck AG, Chairman of the management board at Mauser Office GmbH in Korbach, Germany and executive manager at Rheinmetall AG. February 1998 saw him appointed as finance director at Kolbenschmidt Pierburg AG in Dusseldorf, a company quoted in the M-dax.

Ludger Heuberg moved to Lufthansa Cargo AG in March 2002, where he was made management board member in charge of the company's personnel and finance activities.

With effect from January 1st 2004, he was appointed to the position of director of finance and personnel on the management board at Thomas Cook AG in Oberursel, Germany. On June 19th 2007 Ludger Heuberg became Chief Financial Officer at Thomas Cook Group plc and was in charge of finance, controlling and portfolio management.

On July 1st 2008 Ludger Heuberg returned to Oberursel for private reasons to resume the position of CFO Continental Europe. Furthermore, he is member of the Group Executive Board.

He was appointed on the Board of Thomas Cook (India) Limited w.e.f. 27th February 2009.