Tata Motors Appoints Shailesh Chandra As MD And CEO From October 1
Tata Motors has confirmed a major leadership change, naming Shailesh Chandra as Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer from October 1, 2025. His three-year term will run until September 30, 2028. Alongside this, he will continue to head Tata Passenger Electric Mobility Ltd, the company’s electric vehicle subsidiary. The move makes him responsible for both the conventional passenger vehicle operations and the electric division, uniting the company’s strategy under one leader.
Two Roles, One Mission
By giving Chandra charge of both arms of the business, Tata Motors is signalling that it wants to remove barriers between traditional carmaking and electric mobility. Instead of running separate playbooks, the company will now have one leader guiding product development, manufacturing priorities and long-term strategy.
For customers, this could mean faster product rollouts and a stronger focus on electric vehicles as part of the mainstream passenger vehicle line-up. For the company, it could simplify decisions about where to invest and how to allocate resources.
EV Growth Story
Chandra’s promotion is not sudden. He has already been the face of Tata’s electric journey. The Nexon EV became the country’s highest-selling electric SUV under his watch, and newer models such as the Punch EV and Curvv EV have helped Tata capture a big share of the emerging market. With more buyers now open to EVs and government policy encouraging cleaner vehicles, his experience gives Tata Motors a head start. At the same time, the company must keep its petrol and diesel models competitive, meaning he will need to balance both businesses without losing sight of changing consumer behaviour.
Pressure From All Sides
The timing of this appointment shows the challenges ahead. Global carmakers are accelerating their own electric launches, while Chinese manufacturers are studying entry into India. Established rivals like Hyundai, Mahindra and MG are already strengthening their portfolios.
Tata Motors, by consolidating leadership, is preparing to defend its lead in EVs and manage its wide range of conventional models. Industry watchers believe this unified structure could help the company integrate technology more easily and manage costs at a time when margins remain tight.
What To Expect
Chandra’s appointment also comes with a formal role as Additional Director and Key Managerial Personnel. This ensures he has full authority across the organisation, from product planning to market expansion. For investors, this means continuity of strategy.
Tata’s EV business has been one of the few consistent growth stories in the industry, and extending that leadership approach to the larger passenger vehicle portfolio could keep the company ahead of rivals. For customers, it points to a future where electric and conventional vehicles are treated as part of the same product family rather than separate divisions.
Tata Motors’ decision reflects the broader direction of the automotive industry. Cleaner mobility is no longer an optional bet but a central part of long-term survival. With buyers increasingly looking at electric options, and the government pushing adoption through incentives and regulations, the company has chosen a leader who understands both the old and the new. The next three years will test whether this unified approach can keep Tata Motors ahead in one of the most competitive phases the auto industry has seen.