Bengaluru: Dinesh Kumar Batra, Director (Finance) & CFO, has taken additional charge as Chairman & Managing Director (CMD) of Navratna Defence PSU Bharat Electronics Limited (BEL) with effect from Thursday.

As Director (Finance) & CFO, Batra steered BEL to achieve its highest ever turnover of Rs 15,044 crore and Profit After Tax (PAT) of Rs 2,349 crore in FY 2021-22, the Bengaluru-headquartered company noted in a statement.

He was instrumental in increasing BEL's authorised capital to Rs 750 crore from Rs 250 crore and issuing two bonus shares for each share held by the shareholders of the company, it said.

Batra also played a pivotal role in obtaining necessary approvals for BEL's highest ever payout of 450 per cent dividend, the company said.

Batra was instrumental in the company's move to foray into the 'Electro-Explosive' segment.

"He is also credited with BEL entering into Li-on battery packs for automobiles to support the e-Mobility programme of the Government of India," the statement said.

He is a member of the Board of BEL subsidiaries — BEL-Thales Systems Limited and BEL Optronic Devices Limited, it was stated.

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