Bio:

Vellayan is the son of Padma Bhushan MV Subbiah, and part of the fourth generation of the Murugappa family. Vellayan is actively involved in managing and growing the 115-year old Murugappa Group.

At 46, Vellayan is enterprising, athletic, has a thirst for learning new things and is committed to making a difference. While he is devoted to scaling Cholamandalam Investments and Finance Company Limited (Chola) to great heights, he is also devoted to the concept of “Mens sana in corpore sano” a Latin aphorism, translated as “A sound mind in a sound body.” Vellayan believes that both physical exercise and mental equilibrium are equally important to lead a good life. He enjoys cycling, yoga and running and has a passion for skiing. Vellayan’s spirit of fitness also breathes into the management team and employees at Chola.

Vellayan has a Degree in Civil Engineering from IIT Madras, followed by a Management Degree from the University of Michigan. Prior to Chola, Vellayan has worked with McKinsey Chicago, 24/7 Customer Inc. and Sundram Fasteners in different capacities. He was the Managing Director of Laserwords, Chennai, between 2007 and 2010 and helped the organization achieve success and deliver excellence.

Vellayan joined the board of Chola in August, 2010, the company then had Assets Under Management (AUM) Rs. 6850 crs and a Profit After Tax (PAT) of Rs. 15 crs. In a span of 5 years, under the able leadership of Vellayan, Chola grew to an AUM of Rs. 25452 crs and a PAT of Rs.435 crs. Vellayan also serves as a Director on the Board of SRF Limited and certain other Murugappa Group companies.

About Chola
Cholamandalam Investment and Finance Company Limited was incorporated in 1978 as the financial services arm of the Murugappa Group. Chola commenced business as an equipment financing company and has today emerged as a comprehensive financial services provider offering vehicle finance, home loans, home equity loans, SME loans, investment advisory services, stock broking and a variety of other financial services to customers. Chola operates from over 542 branches across India. The subsidiaries of Cholamandalam include Cholamandalam Securities Limited (CSEC) and Cholamandalam Distribution Services Limited (CDSL).