Agarwal will take over from Rajesh Sawjankar, who has been with Ashok Leyland since 2010. Agarwal is a graduate of engineering from IIT-Bombay and has worked with Tata Motors and Mahindra & Mahindra in India as well as at Ford Motor Company in Europe.
He will take over from Anand Kripalani who has served as the company’s CEO for 16 years. Agarwal has been with the company for more than 20 years and has worked in various roles including as a product manager and general manager. He was also part of the team that created Ashok Leyland’s first bus line, which was launched in 1992.
Ashok Leyland has appointed Shenu Agarwal as its new MD & CEO. He will be working closely with the company’s existing leadership to drive growth and achieve its mission of becoming the world’s most preferred and trusted bus manufacturer by 2020.
Agrawal has been with the company for over 13 years, having joined as an engineer in 2005. During his time at Ashok Leyland, he has worked on various projects including the manufacture of coaches and buses for India, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, and Nepal. He has also held positions such as senior vice president-general manager (Asia Pacific), vice president-manufacturing (Asia Pacific), and vice president-project execution (Asia Pacific).
As part of his new position, Agarwal will lead all aspects of Ashok Leyland’s operations in India, Sri Lanka, and Bangladesh. Agarawal’s appointment comes after a long career at Ashok Leyland, including his position as director of sales and marketing. He has also been instrumental in the expansion of the company’s business into new markets and industries.
He is a veteran of many years in the industry and has worked closely with Ashok Leyland’s founder, Gautam Thapar. Agarwal will take over from the former head of the company, Kamaljit Singh, who is moving on to pursue opportunities in the US.
According to the company, Agarwal has extensive experience in operational leadership and has a track record of building strong teams and delivering results.
Agarwal joins Ashok Leyland from Mahindra & Mahindra, where he served as vice president (organization development) and was responsible for managing the organization’s talent management strategy. He has also held roles at Tata Motors and Tata Steel.
He will be responsible for working with the company’s HR team to ensure that Ashok Leyland’s employees are well-equipped to handle their daily work responsibilities and remain productive.
“She is an experienced automotive executive and a proven leader who will help us continue to build on our strong foundation,” said Ravi Uppal, chairman of Ashok Leyland. “We’re extremely excited to have him join us here in the United States.”
