Managing Director of leading commercial vehicle manufacturer Ashok Leyland and President of the Confederation of Indian Industry - these are but two roles of the many played by Ramaswamy Seshasayee, a visionary, who, at the same time, is also a pragmatic leader who favours an inclusive leadership style.

R. Seshasayee is a Chartered Accountant, who started his career with Hindustan Lever Limited in 1971. He joined Ashok Leyland in 1976. Appointed as Executive Director in 1983, he was elevated as Deputy Managing Director in 1993 and has been the Managing Director since April 1998.

His unfailing vision and enabling leadership have had an unquestionable role to play in the transformation of Ashok Leyland into a billion dollar company and an international player to reckon with, in the commercial vehicle business.

On the National Council of Confederation of Indian Industry (CII) for over 20 years, Seshasayee has been Chairman of several national committees of CII. Currently, as the President of CII for the year 2006-07, he is Brand India's ambassador at various international fora.

He served as the President of Society of Indian Automobile Manufacturers, the apex body representing automobile industry in India during 2001 / 03. He is also the Co-Chairman of Core Group on Auto Research, a joint initiative of Government of India and auto industry for developing advanced technology. Seshasayee has served on several Government Committees, including the J J Irani Committee on Company Law. He was a member of the Government of India delegation to Doha Ministerial Round of WTO in 2001 and Hong Kong Ministerial at Hong Kong in 2005.

Seshasayee has served on several professional committees such as the Accounting Standards Board and the Research committees of the Institute of Chartered Accountants of India. He is also the Chairman of the Board of Governors of National Institute of Technology Tiruchirapalli (NITT).

He has served as a director on the Boards of various public companies, including ICICI Bank, EID Parry India Ltd., etc. He is also associated with several charitable, educational, cultural and social welfare organizations. He was the recipient of the "For the sake of Honour" award from Rotary Club.