Private ports pioneer

Capt Jimmy Sarbh has stepped down as regional director (South Asia and Middle East) of P&O Ports. Sarbh told The Economic Times (July 1, 2005) that he would however continue to look after all the upcoming pro­jects of P&O Ports in this country: "In India I have completed 10 years, two months and 12 days as of today (June 30). I manage assets worth over $ 1.1 billion in the region. The South Asia-Middle East region contributes 35-40 percent of P&O Ports’ global profits and India is a mighty contributor. As an Indian I am happy that I was able to give something back to my country.”

As chairman of the Indian subsidiary for two more years, Sarbh will preside over the boards of five of the group’s companies in the subcontinent (including Sri Lanka and Pakistan). Setting up India’s first private container terminal (Nhava Sheva International Container Terminal at the Jawaharlal Nehru Port), Sarbh is regarded as a pioneer in the privatization process of India’s port sector, the paper opines.