Mr Madhu S Nair took over as Chairman & Managing Director of Cochin Shipyard Limited (CSL) on 1 January 2016.
Under his leadership, CSL became a listed company following a highly successful IPO and completed two major expansion projects—a new 310m dry dock and a 6,000T shiplift-based ship repair yard with six workstations in Kochi, worth ₹3,000 crores.
He helmed CSL during the critical outfitting, testing, and commissioning of India’s first indigenous aircraft carrier, INS Vikrant, which was successfully inducted into the Indian Navy on 2 September 2022 by the Hon’ble Prime Minister of India.
He led the shipbuilding and ship repair components in the Government of India’s Maritime India Vision 2030 and has been a pioneer in green shipping. He played a key role in setting up India’s first National Centre of Excellence in Green Ports and Shipping (NCoEGPS) at TERI, Gurugram, and has guided CSL’s maritime start-up funding programme USHUS. Under his leadership, CSL has initiated projects such as India’s first hydrogen fuel cell vessel and multiple electric/hybrid vessel programmes.
CSL has also entered the inland waterway vessel segment through its subsidiary Hooghly Cochin Shipyard Ltd (HCSL), which established a new ₹180 crore shipyard in Kolkata. In line with his vision to support small and medium naval and coastal vessels, CSL acquired TEBMA Shipyards at Malpe, Karnataka, via NCLT Resolution. The facility now operates as Udupi Cochin Shipyard Ltd (UCSL), a fully owned subsidiary.
Mr Nair has expanded CSL’s ship repair ecosystem through strategic alliances with major Indian ports, resulting in the creation of Ship Repair Units (SRUs) in Mumbai (CMSRU), Kolkata (CKSRU), Port Blair (CANSRU), and Kochi. From being a single unit in 2015, CSL has grown to seven units across India.
He has championed international partnerships under Atmanirbhar Bharat and Make in India–Make for the World, collaborating with IHC Holland, and Robert Allan (Canada), and securing key global orders for short-sea ships, wind field support vessels, and dredgers.
Mr Nair has over 37 years of experience with CSL, having joined as an Executive Trainee in 1988. He holds a master’s degree in Naval Architecture and Ocean Engineering from Osaka University, Japan, and a BTech (Naval Architecture and Ship Building) degree from Cochin University. He is a Fellow of The Royal Institution of Naval Architects (UK) and Institution of Naval Architects (India).
Mr Nair has received several awards, including the CUSAT Distinguished Alumni Award, Samudra Manthan Award, Business Leader of the Year (GMIS 2023), and Management Leadership Awards in 2024 and 2025.