Tata Motors has appointed Guenter Butschek as its chief executive officer and managing director for a period of five years.
Butschek is a former Airbus executive and served as chief operating officer at the planemaker until December 2014.
Butschek is expected to join Tata Motors by February 15. He will lead all operations of Tata Motors in India and international markets, including South Korea, Thailand, Indonesia and South Africa.
"Tata Motors is going through an exciting yet challenging phase and Butschek’s appointment comes at an opportune moment. He brings with him rich global experience of growing organisations and developing new markets. I am confident that Butschek’s ability to lead high performing teams will enable our company to achieve sustainable, profitable growth," Tata Motors chairman Cyrus P. Mistry said.
The Tata Motors CEO's post has been vacant for nearly two years since Karl Slym died after falling off a Bangkok hotel.
Tata Motors' India passenger vehicle sales fell two per cent to about 112,030 while industry sales rose nine per cent to over two million vehicles between April and December.
Butschek, 55, graduated in Business Administration and Economics with a diploma from the University of Cooperative Education Stuttgart, Germany.
"Jaguar Land Rover would continue to be managed by its Chief Executive Officer and Director, Dr Ralf Speth, who is also on the Board of Tata Motors," according to an official statement.
Prior to Airbus, Butschek worked at Daimler AG for more than 25 years in international automotive management, leading functions like production, industrialisation and procurement.
The last role he held was president and CEO of Beijing Benz Automotive Co, a joint venture in China between Daimler AG and Beijing Automotive Industrial Holding.
BW Reporters
The author is Senior Correspondent with BW Businessworld
