Dr. Wadgaonkar will oversee Nissan’s communications activities in Japan and globally.

Nissan Motor Company has promoted Dr. Lavanya Wadgaonkar to the post of Corporate Vice President & Chief Communications Officer, effective April 1, 2024.

Dr. Wadgaonkar will oversee Nissan’s communications activities in Japan and globally. She will report to Makoto Uchida, President & CEO of Nissan Motor Company.

Dr. Wadgaonkar has more than 28 years of experience in strategic communications, public affairs, brand management, marketing and sustainability. She joined Nissan in 2012, where she worked as the Vice President – Corporate Communications & CSR for 4 years.

Dr. Wadgaonkar holds a PhD, an MPhil and a Masters' Degree from Osmania University.

Vatsa will replace Rakesh Srivastava, who is set to retire on March 31.

Nissan Motor India has appointed Saurabh Vatsa as the company’s new Managing Director. He will take charge from April 1, 2024. Vatsa will replace Rakesh Srivastava, who is set to retire on March 31.

Vatsa was elevated to the post of Deputy Managing Director on January 15. As MD, he will report to Frank Torres, President, Nissan India Operations and Region Divisional Vice President of Business Transformation (AMIEO).

In a career spanning over three decades, Srivastava worked with top brands like Maruti Suzuki, Hyundai, and JSW Group before moving to Nissan. He has been a key member of Nissan’s India leadership team and oversaw the launch of the Magnite.

“Vatsa will build on the foundation laid by Rakesh and spearhead our next phase of growth,” Torres said.

Hemant Bakshi was the Executive Vice President and chairperson of Unilever Indonesia.

According to media reports, Ola Mobility has appointed Hemant Bakshi as its new CEO. He will lead the company's ride-hailing, financial services, logistics, and e-commerce operations. 

It is said that Bhavish Aggarwal will step down as part of the company's effort to streamline operations.

Reports suggest that Bakshi joined Ola four months back. Prior to joining Ola, Bakshi held the post of Executive Vice President of the marketplace and chairperson of Unilever Indonesia.

Bakshi holds a degree in chemical engineering and a master's in business administration. He began his career at Unilever as executive director of sales and customer development.

Source: Financial Express

Zac Hollis played a crucial role in the implementation of Skoda’s 'India 2.0' strategy.

According to a media report, Zac Hollis, who served as the brand director of Skoda Auto India, has been appointed as the head of VinFast Asia. The announcement comes ahead of the Vietnamese EV maker’s foray into the Indian market.

Zac Hollis played a crucial role in the implementation of Skoda’s 'India 2.0' strategy which saw the introduction of the Kushaq and Slavia based on the MQB A0-IN platform. While at Skoda, Hollis was known for being active on social media, which allowed him to connect directly with the customers.

In a career spanning over 2 decades, Hollis held several key positions in the automotive industry. Before joining Skoda Auto India, he was the head of sales operations for Skoda in China.

VinFast plans to invest $2 billion in India over the next 5 years. Earlier this month, the EV maker signed an MoU with the Tamil Nadu government to set up a manufacturing unit in the state.

Source: Autocar Pro

Tae Jin Park is retiring after a 4-year stint with Kia India.

Kia India has announced the appointment of Gwanggu Lee as the new Managing Director and CEO of the company, effective immediately.

Lee is the third MD & CEO of the Kia India. He succeeds Kook Hyun Shim and Tae Jin Park, who is retiring after a 4-year stint with Kia India and 36 years with the South Korean automaker.

Gwanggu Lee has over 30 years of experience in the automotive sector. Prior to his recent appointment, Lee held the position of President at Kia Mexico. He has also held leadership positions in the US, Canada, Italy, Kia Headquarters in Central and South America and Kia Europe Headquarters in Germany.

Commenting on this appointment, Gwanggu Lee, MD & CEO of Kia India, said, “I am very excited to assume this responsibility as Kia India has become one of the most loved and trusted brands in just 4 years. With two segment-breaking updates – the new Seltos & the new Sonet and a host of more innovative products on the way, Kia India is surely on the right path to sustainable business growth. It's a privilege to lead a team that has set industry benchmarks, and I shall be contributing towards achieving many more as one team. My vision is to unlock the next phase of growth through inspiring Kia brand experiences thereby creating more value and long-lasting impact for our customers, partners, and employees alike.”

Aditya Jairaj has over 17 years of experience in the automotive sector.

Stellantis India is set to get a new Managing Director & CEO from January 1, 2024. Aditya Jairaj will succeed Roland Bouchara, who has led the company for the past six and a half years.

Aditya Jairaj has over 17 years of experience in the automotive sector. He is currently the Deputy Managing Director at Stellantis India and Head – Jeep India.

Bouchara, who will assume a new responsibility in Europe, was appointed as the CEO and MD in 2021. He played a critical role in the launch of the Citroen brand in India and has steered the company in his capacity as Senior Vice President of Sales and Marketing.

He will succeed Petr Solc, who will complete his term on December 31, 2023.

Skoda Auto Volkswagen India has appointed Petr Janeba as the new Brand Director for Skoda. He takes over from Petr Solc, who will complete his term on December 31, 2023.

Janeba is currently the Head of International Sales Management at Skoda Auto. He will take charge of his new responsibility at Skoda Auto Volkswagen India on January 1, 2024.

Janeba has been associated with the Skoda brand since 2004. He was the head of Skoda Russia from 2009 to 2011. He has headed Volkswagen PKW, before moving to China as Senior Director of Volkswagen Network Development and Management.

Skoda hasn’t shared the details of Petr Solc’s next appointment. It is said that he might assume a global role in the company.

Source: Autocar Pro

Initially, VinFast plans to import two models via the CBU route.

Vietnam-based EV maker, VinFast Auto, has appointed former diplomat Pham Sanh Chau as its India CEO.

Chau is a Vietnamese politician and educator. He has been the ambassador of Vietnam to India, Nepal and Bhutan and has played a vital role in strengthening the bilateral ties between India and Vietnam.

VinFast plans to enter the Indian EV market in 2024. It has set up its India headquarters in Gurgaon and is in the process of hiring people in key operational roles. Earlier, the company appointed former Kia India sales head Ashwin Patil as its Vice President and Director.

Initially, VinFast plans to import two models via the CBU route. However, the company is also looking to start local manufacturing and is reportedly in talks with Ford to acquire the latter’s Chennai factory.

Source: ET Auto

Doellner has served as the head of product development at Porsche and worked on the Panamera from 2011 to 2018.

German luxury car maker Audi, part of the Volkswagen Group, has appointed Gernot Doellner as its new CEO. 

Doellner, who is currently VW's strategy chief, replaces Markus Duesmann. He will take charge of his new responsibility at the helm of Audi in September 2023.

Doellner has been with the VW Group for a long time. He began his career with the automaker as a doctoral student in 1993. He was appointed as the head of strategy at Volkswagen AG in 2021.

Doellner has also served as the head of product development at Porsche. He headed the Panamera series from 2011 to 2018. 

Ashwani Gupta has been the Chief Operating Officer at Nissan since December 2019.

Nissan has announced that Ashwani Gupta will step down from his post of Chief Operating Officer and Representative Executive Officer on June 27, 2023. Reports suggest that Gupta will also leave the board of directors after the annual general meeting scheduled for June 27.

Ashwani Gupta has been the Chief Operating Officer at Nissan since December 2019. His contributions have been instrumental in laying the foundations of the Nissan NEXT transformation strategy.

Gupta is a graduate of the Jawaharlal Nehru Engineering College, India and France's INSEAD Business School. He held executive positions at Honda India and Japan in 1996, before moving to Renault India as General Manager in 2006.

Gupta was the worldwide programme director for Datsun vehicles at Nissan Motor Co. in Japan in 2011. He has also served as the Vice President of Renault's LCV division since 2014.

Source: ET Auto