Dev Sanyal

Dev Sanyal (born 4 September 1965) is the Chief Executive Officer of VARO Energy, a diversified energy company headquartered in Zug, Switzerland (since 1 January 2022). Prior to this, he had a 32-year global career with BP plc.

Dev Sanyal was born in New Delhi, India and grew up in Darjeeling according to Bloomberg. His father, K.S.B. Sanyal, was the Chairman of the Andrew Yule Group.

Dev Sanyal studied at St. Paul’s School, Darjeeling and St. Stephen’s College, Delhi. He graduated from The Fletcher School of Law and Diplomacy at Tufts University with a Master’s degree in Politics and Economics. Dev Sanyal is currently a member of the Board of Overseers of the school.

Dev Sanyal serves as the Chief Executive Officer of VARO Energy Group. Until 31 December 2021, he had a 32-year career with BP plc including over a decade on the group executive committee. He headed gas and low carbon energy globally. Prior to this, he was chief executive, alternative energy and also accountable for BP’s Europe and Asia regions. During his tenure, Dev Sanyal built businesses in sustainable energy – solar, offshore wind, onshore wind, hydrogen and gas, – and led the company’s energy transition.

From 1999 to 2002, Dev Sanyal was CEO of BP Eastern Mediterranean and from 2003 to 2007, Dev Sanyal served as the CEO of Air BP International. From 2007 to 2011, he was also Group Treasurer and Chair of BP Investment Management. Dev Sanyal was appointed Executive Vice President in 2011. 

On January 1, 2022, Dev Sanyal was appointed CEO of VARO Energy.  The ONE VARO Transformation strategy, which was unveiled in July 2022, is centred on conventional and sustainable energies and commits to spending two-thirds of capital in sustainable energies. VARO plans to be net zero by 2040. 

Dev Sanyal is an independent non-executive director on the board of M&G plc since May 2022. He was an independent non-executive director of Man Group plc (2013–2022). He is a member of the advisory board of the Centre for European Reform and a Fellow of the Energy Institute.

Prior to this, he was a member of the energy advisory board of the Government of India (2017–2023); Accenture Global Energy Board (2012-2018); Global Council of the International Crisis Group (2012–2020); Vice Chairman, Centre for China in the World Economy, Tsinghua University (2014–2019); The Duke of Edinburgh’s International Award Foundation Business Leaders Group (2012–2015); and Trustee of the Career Academy Foundation (2007–2013).