Gaurav Rustagi

About Gaurav Rustagi

Board-Level CFO | CA + CS | Strategic Value Architect. 17+ years leading high-stakes financial transformations across GE, Mahindra Logistics, and Air Works. Specializing in Rs Cr+ Scale-ups, M&A (Airworks-Adani Divestment), Greenfield JVs, and IPO Readiness.As a dual-qualified Chartered Accountant (CA) and Company Secretary (CS), I bridge the gap between aggressive P&L growth and world-class corporate governance. My career has been defined by navigating complexity: from the rigorous \"Gold Standard\" systems of GE to leading the financial lifecycle of an IPO-turned-Adani divestment at Air Works.Currently, as CFO at MLL Express (Mahindra Logistics), I am driving the turnaround of a Rs 500 Cr business unit. I thrive in high-pressure environments where finance must evolve from a reporting function into a strategic growth engine.Strategic milestones:Transaction Leadership: Orchestrated the end-to-end IPO setup and subsequent Rs 463 Cr divestment of Air Works to the Adani Group, managing complex due diligence and stakeholder pivots.Greenfield Architecture: Led the financial and statutory launch of the GE Transportation & Indian Railways JV for Locomotives under 2.5 bn $ Program, building a scalable manufacturing finance framework from the ground up.Turnaround Excellence: Currently optimizing enterprise performance and capital efficiency for a 25-member finance team, focusing on margin expansion in the competitive & thin margin express logistics sector.Sector Versatility: Proven leadership across Group Corporate Finance, Aviation (MRO), Global Manufacturing, Leasing, Buy & Sell, and Express Logistics.Core Competencies: Strategic Financial Planning (FP & A) • M&A & Due Diligence • Capital Efficiency • Investor Relations (IR) • Board-Level Reporting • IPO Readiness • Ind AS & Statutory Compliance • Risk Management (ERM) • Working Capital Optimization • Change Management • Corporate Secretarial Standards• Controllership & Statutory Compliance

Experience

1. Head of Finance Cfo- Mll Express (Sub of Mahindra Logistics Ltd)

   Mahindra Logistics

   Mar 2024 — Present · IN

   Appointed to lead the financial integration and strategic turnaround of Rivigo (a tech-pioneer in Indian logistics) post acquisition by Mahindra Logistics (MLL) Listed Entity. Managing a Rs 500 Cr P&L and a 25-member finance organization within a high-governance, listed-company framework.Key Strategic Deliverables:Post-Acquisition Turnaround: Formulating and executing a rigorous financial recovery roadmap for the Express business, focusing on EBITDA enhancement, cost rationalization, and revenue assurance in a tech-driven, high-volume environment.Board & Audit Committee Leadership: Serving as a Board-facing CFO, delivering management narratives, financial strategy, and performance outlooks to the Board and Audit Committees of a leading listed logistics player.Digital Finance Transformation: Leveraging a sophisticated tech stack (SAP, BI, and proprietary logistics tools) to automate month-end closures and provide real-time, branch-level profitability insights.Working Capital & Treasury Optimization: Re-engineered the cash-to-cash cycle and vendor payment ecosystems across multi-location operations to maximize liquidity and capital efficiency.Institutional Governance: Ensuring \"Listed Company Standards\" of compliance, internal controls, and audit readiness, bridging the agility of a tech-startup (Rivigo) with the structural rigors of the Mahindra Group.Business Partnering for Margin Expansion: Acting as a co-pilot to the CEO to identify leakage points and implement \"Operational Excellence\" initiatives that directly impact bottom-line results

Education

• The Institute of Chartered Accountants of India

  ACA, Accounting and Finance

  2005 — 2008

• The Institute of Chartered Accountants of India

  Certificate Course on Valuations

  2009 — 2009

• Chartered Accountants Ireland

  Certified Public Accountant

• The Institute of Company Secretaries of India

  ACS, Company Law, Secretarial, Legal and Compliance

  2007 — 2008

• Maharshi Dayanand University

  B Com (Pass), Accounts & Taxation

  2001 — 2004

Skills

• Auditing
• Budget
• Internal Controls
• Teamwork
• Tax
• Accounting
• Due Diligence
• Internal Audit
• Legal Compliance
• Rti
• Corporate Finance
• Financial Accounting
• Management
• Document Drafting
• Budgets
• Finance
• Financial Reporting
• Forecasting