The Appointments Committee of the Cabinet (ACC) has approved the appointment of Sunil Kumar as the next Chairman and Managing Director (CMD) of state-run energy major Oil and Natural Gas Corporation (ONGC).

Currently serving as an Executive Director (ED), Kumar breaks corporate precedent by becoming the first executive in ONGC history to be elevated directly from the ED rank to the top post.

The high-profile selection process was overseen by a three-member search committee, culminating in an official ACC order issued on October 21, 2026. Kumar will officially take charge on or after December 7, 2026, succeeding incumbent chief Arun Kumar Singh, whose extended tenure concludes on December 6, 2026.

Kumar is appointed for a combined tenure of three years. He will serve until his superannuation on December 31, 2028, and will subsequently transition into a contractual agreement to complete the remaining period of his term.