Lal Karsanbhai is president and chief executive officer of Emerson. Karsanbhai was named CEO of the $18.2 billion global technology and industrial software leader in 2021. 

Prior to being named CEO, Karsanbhai led Emerson’s Automation Solutions business. In this role, which he began in October 2018, Karsanbhai was responsible for leading strategies, technologies and innovations to help essential industries enhance operations and achieve Top Quartile performance. He led Automation Solutions to strong performance, elevating Emerson’s software profile and digital transformation business.

Karsanbhai began his career at Emerson in 1995 as an international planner. He held a number of business development positions of increasing responsibility before being appointed director of corporate planning in 1999. He served as vice president of the regulator technologies business from 2002 until 2005, when he moved to Gallardon, France, as vice president and general manager of natural gas. There, he was responsible for integrating two European natural gas entities, restructuring the business and setting up a plant in Cluj-Napoca, Romania. 

Karsanbhai was named president of Emerson’s Fisher regulator technologies in 2008. In the role, he was responsible for a global business comprised of four distinct business units, nine manufacturing plants and 2,200 employees.
 
In 2012, he moved to the role of vice president of planning, which he held until 2014. He was responsible for coordinating Emerson’s global planning and strategy. He also worked with top Emerson executives, business leaders, business unit presidents and world area leadership to organize the business plans and strategy sessions designed to drive growth and profitability.

Karsanbhai served as president of Emerson’s former Network Power business in Europe, Middle East and Africa from 2014 until 2016, when he was named group president of Emerson’s Rosemount Measurement & Analytical. He held this role until his appointment as leader of Automation Solutions in 2018.

Karsanbhai currently serves as the Deputy Chair of the Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis and on the board of the US-China Business Council. He is also a member of Business Roundtable, The Business Council and the Washington University, Olin Business School National Council. In 2023, Karsanbhai was the recipient of the Distinguished Alumni Award at Washington University, Olin Business School. Karsanbhai is fluent in Portuguese, French and English and has lived and worked in Europe, Africa and North America.
 
He has a bachelor’s degree in economics from the University of Michigan and a master’s degree in business administration from Washington University in St. Louis.