At Global CSR Congress – Ankesh Shahra of Ruchi Soya receives CSR Award for Community Development

Mumbai, February 20, 2013: Ruchi Soya Industries Limited (Ruchi Soya) has been Felicitated with the CSR Award for Community Development during the World CSR Congress.

Mr. Ankesh Shahra who manages the international businesses of Ruchi Soya and participates in the CSR activities of the Company was honoured with the felicitation at a glittering event in Mumbai. Dr. Christoph Stueckelberger, Executive Director and Founder of Globethics and Dr. Bhaskar Chatterjee, Director General & CEO, Indian Institute of Corporate  affairs handed over the trophy and citation to Mr. Ankesh Shahra.

Commenting on the occasion, Mr. Ankesh Shahra stated, “I am very grateful to the World CSR Congress for honouring Ruchi Soya with the award for Community Development. Ruchi believes in sharing its growth with every stakeholder and giving back to the society in a sustainable and transparent manner. A big congratulations to the team.”

Featuring among the top five FMCG players in India, Ruchi Soya is India’s number one cooking oil maker and marketer through popular brands like Nutrela, Ruchi Gold, Mahakosh and Sunrich. Ruchi Soya is working closely with the communities around its plants in Patalganga and Nagpur in Maharashtra. Ruchi Soya believes in the concept of ‘Giving back to the Society’. The corporate social initiatives of Ruchi Group are executed through Shri Mahadeo Shahra Sukrat Trust with the focus on three core areas of Health, Education and Women Empowerment.

An Integrated player from farm to fork, Ruchi Soya has secured access to oil palm plantations in India and other important parts of the world. Besides being a leading manufacturer of high quality edible oils, soya foods, vanaspati, and bakery fats, Ruchi Soya is also the highest exporter of soya meal, lecithin and other food ingredients from India. Ruchi Soya is committed to renewable energy and exploring suitable opportunities in the sector.

Source: http://planetcorporatenews.blog.com/ankesh-shahra-of-ruchi-soya-receives-csr-award-for-community-development-at-global-csr-congress/

Ankesh Shahra the flag bearer of Ruchi group

A young dynamic entrepreneur is all set to the charge the business world, with his fresh attitude and strategic knowledge the company is set to ride to success. Ankesh Shahra is currently based in Singapore and managing the international businesses for Ruchi Soya. It includes establishing a cross-commodity global trading platform headquartered in Singapore

His work in business world is highly appreciated and lauded which bagged him the prestigious Globoil Global Young Entrepreneur Award which he received from Member of Parliament and lawyer Ram Jethmalani. He has also has been invited to attend the Rabo Bank Food & Agribusiness Advisory Board Meeting that was held in Hong Kong.

He dons the role of Director, Business Development for Ruchi Agritrading Pte Ltd.
Ankesh has a background in Finance, Economics and International Trade and represents the third generation of the Shahra family that started the business conglomerate Ruchi Group. With his distinctive attributes and rich pedigree he is set to take the business in great space.

The Group has business interests across the sectors ranging from Edible oil, Soya foods, Steel, Dairy, Featuring among the top five FMCG players in India; Ruchi Soya Industries is the flagship company of Ruchi Group of Industries. A leading manufacturer of high-quality edible oils, soya food, vanaspati and bakery fats, it is also the highest exporter of soya meal, lecithin and other food ingredients from India. Established in 1986, it is the largest producer and marketer of vegetable oils and soya food, the largest oilseed crusher and edible oil refiner, the largest importer of vegetable oil and the largest exporter of soya derivatives from India. Ruchi Soya has also diversified into Renewable Energy and Plantations in the recent past.

Ankesh Shahra’s ideology is to work towards renewing, to reinterpret and reaffirm Ruchi Soya’s backwards integration strategy into agricultural plantations in Asia and Africa

His stance towards Food security is indeed a prevalent concern, he stresses upon the on three pillars Food security is built upon
* Food availability: sufficient quantities of food available on a consistent basis.
* Food access: having sufficient resources to obtain appropriate foods for a nutritious diet.
* Food use: appropriate use based on knowledge of basic nutrition and care, as well as adequate water and sanitation.

That enables the group to introspect and look ahead, to clarify and consolidate company’s positions as top FMCG players in India.

Securing Origination: Ruchi Soya at the Rabo Bank Advisory Board Meeting in Hong Kong, 2012

December 28, 2012:

Ruchi Soya Managing Director Mr. Dinesh Shahra, along with Mr. Ankesh Shahra – Director, Business Development for Ruchi Agritrading Pte Ltd, Singapore were invited to attend the prestigious Rabo Bank Food & Agribusiness Advisory Board Meeting that was held in Hong Kong in November 2012. The Theme of the meeting was ‘Burgeoning world food demand and the shrinking corporate universe” and Ruchi was specifically asked to present their views and perspectives on the importance of M&A for Ruchi across the Food and Agriculture supply chain. Spread across two days, there were several important thought provoking issues discussed between the key decision makers of the largest Food and Agribusiness companies from Asia and the world.

Mr. Dinesh Shahra spoke about the importance of acquisitions at the low end of the business cycle and the value that high quality upstream assets at origination offer for companies such as Ruchi. In a discussion moderated by ex-CNBC anchor Ms. Lorraine Hahn, Mr. Dinesh Shahra mentioned that Asian companies should continue to vertically integrate but in order to remain sustainable, they must combine this integration with specialization down the chain. This is to ensure that they remain the most efficient users of the capital they possess, as niche/specialized companies are on a growth trajectory and are delivering exceptional returns.

Ruchi Industries Singapore, the overseas holding company of Ruchi Soya that is consolidating its global assets is in the process of executing the backward integration strategy of Ruchi Soya into palm plantations and agricultural production.  One of the topics discussed in Hong Kong were the challenges that stretch into asset ownership whilst securing origination. “Asset ownership in emerging economies comes with a set of risks that must be evaluated in conjunction with the superior cost structure that these countries generally offer. Sovereign and regulatory risks, management challenges, the ability to influence operations as well as differing tax regimes are all points to watch out for” says Ankesh Shahra.

Ruchi Soya Industries Limited

Featuring among the top five FMCG players in India, Ruchi Soya Industries is the flagship company of Ruchi Group of Industries. A leading manufacturer of high-quality edible oils, soya food, vanaspati and bakery fats, it is also the highest exporter of soya meal, lecithin and other food ingredients from India. Established in 1986, it is the largest producer and marketer of vegetable oils and soya food, the largest oilseed crusher and edible oil refiner, the largest importer of vegetable oil and the largest exporter of soya derivatives from India. Ruchi Soya has also diversified into Renewable Energy and Plantations in the recent past.

Ruchi Soya Industries Limited – Social Initiatives – Health

Whilst we would very much like to go into Health awareness programs in a systematic manner, we have started programs which can give immediate relief. We have partnered with The K.K. EYE Hospital which is run by the Sadhu Waswani Mission and has a super specialty hospital for eye care. We conduct Cataract Detection camps; those detected are then taken to the K.K. Eye Hospital for their surgeries. So far 68 financially challenged patients from these villages have got back their sight. These include the adivasis also.

The national program of Pulse Polio is another activity that we have decided to support and is in line with the nation’s goal to eradicate pulse polio. The Primary Health Centre staff is given the vehicle to move around in the villages that their centre is supposed to cover. Even the Cataract camp is held in this centre which gives them an edge also as the patients that come to them are then referred to the camp.

Most diseases are water borne and are a perennial problem to the people of the village of Esambe as there is a scarcity of clean and safe drinking water in this village. We consider it our duty to help provide clean drinking water to attack this phenomenon and as the women of the village of Esambe are ready to take this on a priority, we will address this issue along with them.