Emandi Sankara Rao

Emandi Sankara Rao is currently an Independent Director at GMR Group. Rao has over 20 years of experience in infrastructure finance and has served in various leadership positions in various companies.

Rao started their career in 1987 as a Manager of Quality Assurance & Operations for Unitel Communications - UB Group. Emandi then moved on to SAB NIFE Ltd. in 1994, where they served as Sr. DGM and Business Unit Leader for the Power Plants Division Operations. In 1997, Rao joined IDBI Bank, where they served in the Infrastructure Finance Group and was responsible for project appraisal of major infrastructure projects in the power, telecom, gas, SEZs, pipelines, and electronics sectors. Emandi was also a faculty member at JNIDB, a premium training institute of IDBI. Rao left IDBI Bank in 2001 to join IFCI Ltd., where they served as IFCI Managing Director & CEO, Chairman IFCI Subsidiaries, and Chairman MDI & ILD Institutions. In 2011, Rao joined India Infrastructure Finance Company Ltd. (IIFCL) as Chief General Manager (IIFCL) and Director (IIFCL Projects Ltd). Emandi was also appointed as Director&CEO (IIFCL AMC) in 2017.

Rao has a Ph.D in Infrastructure Finance and Technology from the Indian Institute of Technology in Bombay. Emandi also has a PGDBA in Business Management from Pondicherry University and an M.Tech in Systems Reliability Engg from the Indian Institute of Technology in Kharagpur. Emandi has a B.E in Electrical & Electronics Engg from Andhra University and is also a Chartered Engineer from the Institution of Engineers of India (IEI) in Kolkata.