ITC is taking steps to elevate its COO Sanjiv Puri as Chief Executive Officer and plans to split the post of Executive Chairman and CEO after incumbent Y C Deveshwar steps aside on February 5, 2017. In July 2016, Puri was appointed as the chief operating officer after leading the FMCG business of the conglomerate as President from December 2014. He had joined the company in 1986.

Deveshwar would become a non-Executive Director and Chairman for a period of three years with effect from February 5, 2017. He joined ITC in 1968 and assumed office as Executive Chairman in January, 1996.