Himanshu Kapania to be non-executive director and vice-chairman of Grasim

Aditya Birla Group plans to give bigger role to Idea Cellular Managing Director and CEO Himanshu Kapania, including first ever position of vice-chairman at Grasim Industries after completion of company's telecom business merger with Vodafone.

"Aditya Birla Group Chairman Kumar Mangalam Birla has internally announced that Himanshu Kapania will join board of Grasim Industries as a non-executive director and be the vice-chairman of Grasim. This will be the first time in the history of Grasim that a vice-chairman will be appointed," according to company sources.

When contacted, Idea Cellular declined to comment on the development.

Kapania, who has been with the Idea Cellular since 2006, will also be appointed as non-executive director of merged business of Vodafone India and Idea Cellular. He will be an advisor to Birla on telecom business as Director, Telecom, Chairman office once the merger is complete, the source said.