BMW India appoints Vikram Pawah as new president after death of Rudratej Singh

German luxury car maker BMW on Saturday appointed Vikram Pawah as the president of BMW Group India effective August 1, 2020, in addition to his current role as chief executive officer of BMW Group Australia and New Zealand.

Following the sudden demise of Rudratej Singh, the then president and chief executive officer in April this year, Chief Financial Officer Arlindo Teixeira has been carrying out the role as acting president of BMW Group India.

Pawah has been with the BMW Group since 2017, when he joined BMW Group India as the president.

In 2018, he was appointed the chief executive officer of BMW Group Australia and New Zealand where he has successfully steered BMW into a position of strength in the luxury car segment, the company said in a statement.

BMW Group Senior Vice President, Region Asia-Pacific, Eastern Europe, Middle East and Africa, Hendrik von Kuenheim said, "Under the leadership of Vikram Pawah, BMW Group has successfully stood ground in a fiercely competitive environment and gained significant momentum in both Indian and Australian luxury car markets."

"As a priority market, India presents tremendous potential for future growth and development of the luxury automotive segment," he added.

Pawah brings excellent preconditions to navigate BMW Group India in a challenging business situation due the ongoing coronavirus pandemic, von Kuenheim said.

"We are confident that his strategic thinking, hands-on approach and ability to drive people will navigate the organisation in these turbulent times," he added.

With BMW, MINI and Motorrad, the BMW Group has its sight set firmly on the premium sector of the Indian automobile market, the company said.

The group's business operations activities in India include a manufacturing plant in Chennai, a parts warehouse in Mumbai, a training centre in Gurgaon NCR and dealers across major metropolitan centres.