Piyush Arora will be the new Managing Director of ŠKODA AUTO Volkswagen India Private Limited (SAVWIPL) from March 1, 2022, succeeding Gurpratap Boparai. Arora, an experienced automotive professional, will be responsible for expanding the Volkswagen Group’s business in India, including the recent INDIA 2.0 project of the brands Volkswagen and ŠKODA, the company said in a media release on Tuesday. SAVWIPL oversees the India operations of five Volkswagen Group brands – ŠKODA, Volkswagen, Audi, Porsche and Lamborghini.
Thomas Schäfer, CEO of ŠKODA AUTO, said, “I would like to thank Gurpratap Boparai for his outstanding performance as Managing Director of SAVWIPL. I wish him all the best for the future. At the same time, I would like to extend a warm welcome to Piyush Arora. I am delighted that we have found a highly experienced professional to lead the India business. His task will be to advance and sustainably expand the Volkswagen Group’s business in India. I am convinced that he will succeed in this endeavour and wish him every success.”
“The year 2022 will see important events for all Volkswagen Group brands. Volkswagen and ŠKODA will finalise the rollout of the INDIA 2.0 project with the ŠKODA SLAVIA and the Notchback from Volkswagen, including commencing exports of the INDIA 2.0 vehicles across the globe,” the release said.
Christian Cahn von Seelen, Chairman, SAVWIPL, said, “It is my pleasure to welcome Piyush Arora into the India leadership team. The year 2021 has been one of growth for SAVWIPL. Despite the challenges posed by the pandemic and the global chip shortage, we recorded a 76% growth across our five brands. I am confident that Piyush Arora’s proven leadership will help us further build on this strong momentum and continue on a sustainable growth path in 2022 and the years ahead.”
Arora has been working in the automotive industry for more than 30 years and has extensive knowledge of the Indian market. After studying mechanical engineering at the Indian Institute of Technology in Kanpur and obtaining an International Business Diploma from Symbiosis International University in Pune, Piyush Arora began his career at Tata Motors. He later joined Mercedes-Benz India, where he held several senior positions including the Supervisory Board positions at Mercedes-Benz Indonesia and Mercedes-Benz Vietnam, while overseeing their operations. Most recently, he oversaw the Operations business for Mercedes-Benz India as its Executive Director and Head of Operations, the release added.
