THE CORE STRENGTH

FOR G. KRISHNAKUMAR, STEERING BPCL WASN'T JUST ABOUT CURRENT PERFORMANCE; IT WAS ABOUT BUILDING THE FUTURE.

- BY P.B. JAYAKUMAR

IN 1999, WHEN the concept of loyalty programmes was still in its nascent stage in India, the state-owned Bharat Petroleum Corp.

Ltd (BPCL) launched the Petro Card. This revolutionary, loyalty-driven prepaid payment card served as a precursor to digital wallets. “We realised we weren't connected with the end customer,” recalls G. Krishnakumar, who was then heading BPCL’s marketing vertical for the card and loyalty programmes. Within four months, 200,000 Petro Cards were issued. Soon, BPCL introduced the SmartFleet card to extend the loyalty programme to truck drivers and fleet owners.

Since then, Krishnakumar’s name has been synonymous with BPCL’s digital DNA. Long before “digital transformation” became a corporate buzzword, he was connecting the company directly with customers. “People identified petrol pumps with their owners, not with BPCL or an IOC or HP pump. We wanted a direct relationship through loyalty programmes.”

This is just an example of the long-term vision that Krishnakumar, or ‘K.K’ as he is known among friends and colleagues, brings to the table. He rose through the ranks during his more than 38 years at BPCL to become the chairman and managing director in March 2023. When he superannuated in April this year, Sanjay Khanna, director (refineries), was handed over the additional charge. During his three-year tenure at the helm, Krishnakumar steered BPCL to new heights with strategic vision, quiet determination, and disciplined execution. Under his leadership, BPCL, India’s second-largest oil marketing company (OMC) and sixth-largest by turnover, saw net sales rise to ₹4,40,272 crore by FY25, hitting a 3-year CAGR of 8.3% in the past three financial years, according to database provider Capitaline.