VinFast has appointed Prashanth Rao as the Chief Executive Officer of its Middle East regional office, reinforcing the EV maker’s leadership team as it accelerates expansion across global markets. Rao shared the announcement on LinkedIn, expressing enthusiasm about leading the company’s next phase of growth in the region. In his new role, he will oversee regional operations and focus on driving business growth and profitability across the Middle East.
Rao brings close to 20 years of experience in the automotive industry, with previous stints at Toyota Kirloskar Motor, Honda, Nissan Motor Corporation, and VinFast. His expertise covers aftersales operations, dealer network expansion, customer quality, business operations, and digital transformation initiatives.
Prior to his elevation as CEO, Rao served as Director – Sales, Network Development and Aftersales at VinFast Middle East, where he played a significant role in shaping the company’s market entry and dealer network strategy across the region. He also led the establishment of sales and aftersales operations, customer care centres, parts logistics, technical support systems, and EV battery repair and recycling initiatives.
Earlier in his career at VinFast, Rao held the position of Deputy CEO at VinFast India, contributing to electrification and digitalisation projects across several Asian markets. He was also involved in the company’s early manufacturing and localisation plans in India. With professional experience spanning India, Japan, the Middle East, and ASEAN markets, Rao is expected to play a key role in supporting VinFast’s global electric mobility ambitions.
