Sona BLW Appoints Jeffrey Mark Overly as Chair After Sunjay Kapur’s Sudden Demise

Sona BLW Precision Forgings Ltd (Sona Comstar) has appointed Jeffrey Mark Overly as Chairperson, effective June 23, following the sudden demise of longtime leader Sunjay Kapur earlier this month.

The Board of Directors appointed Overly as Chairperson of the Board. He has served as an Independent Director of the company since 12 February 2021 and was reappointed on 30 April for a second consecutive five-year term, the auto component maker said in a stock exchange filing today.

He currently serves as an Operating Partner in the Corporate Private Equity Group at Blackstone, based in New York, where he advises portfolio companies on Lean Operational Excellence and supply chain optimisation.

Prior to joining Blackstone in 2008, he was the Vice President of Global Fixture Operations at Kohler Company. Before that, he spent 25 years with General Motors and Delphi Corporation, holding senior roles across operations and engineering.

Earlier this month, 53-year-old Sunjay Kapur died of a heart attack in the UK. He collapsed while playing polo in London on June 12.

Kapur joined Sona BLW in 2006 and became Managing Director in 2015. As Chairman from 2019, he led the company’s expansion into markets including the USA, Mexico, China, and Serbia. Under his leadership, the company was listed on Indian stock exchanges and expanded into sensors and software with the acquisition of Novelic. He also spearheaded the acquisition of the railway business from Escorts Kubota.

Sona's board expressed its "thoughts and condolences" on his passing and posthumously appointed him as Chairman Emeritus.

Additionally, the board has approved the appointment of Priya Sachdev Kapur as an Additional Non-Executive Director, effective 23 June 2025, based on the recommendation of the Nomination and Remuneration Committee. Her appointment is subject to shareholder approval.

She has also been named Chairperson of the Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) Committee and a member of the Environment, Social and Governance (ESG) Committee.