MUMBAI—Roma Balwani has been elevated to president of group communications, sustainability and CSR at mining group Vedanta Resources. 

The promotion, part of CEO Tom Albanese's new management structure, comes after Balwani joined Vedanta as EVP of group communications and CSR earlier this year.

The restructuring, said Balwani, also recognises the importance of sustainable development to Vedanta's performance. The company has faced regular criticism of its environmental record in India.

Balwani, who reports to Albanese, sits on Vedanta's executive committee, with the sustainability, CSR and communications functions all reporting into her. Prior to joining Vedanta, she spent six years as Mahindra's communications and CSR head.

She told the Holmes Report that the new structure will 'help the CEO’s agenda to bring in rigour in the process, benchmark with global best practices, consolidate CSR activities for better returns to the community as well as build the brand proposition of Vedanta."

Former Rio Tinto CEO Albanese joined Vedanta earlier this year, following a merger between Vedanta firms Sesa Goa and Sterlite Industries last year. The restructuring saw the bulk of Vedanta's mining operations grouped under Sesa Sterlite, in a bid to create an Indian natural resources giant that can compete with the likes of BHP Billiton and Rio Tinto.