Stellantis India appoints Roland Bouchara as CEO and Managing Director

Auto major Stellantis on Tuesday announced the appointment of Roland Bouchara as CEO & Managing Director of India operations with immediate effect.

Bouchara would lead the group in the country with full responsibility for the Jeep and Citroen national sales companies (NSCs), coupled with the group's manufacturing operations, the automaker said in a statement.

Stellantis group, one of the world's largest automakers, has been formed with the merger of auto majors FCA and Groupe PSA.

Since 2017, Bouchara has led the Citroen India operations in his capacity as Senior Vice President of Sales and Marketing for the brand. The company has recently introduced its first product in the country – the Citroën C5 Aircross, the automaker said.

Prior to joining Groupe PSA in 2017, Roland held several key leadership positions at Renault including, Managing Director UK, Head of Europe NSCs (Germany, UK, Spain and Italy) and SVP Sales & Marketing for Asia Pacific and China, it added.

The company said Partha Datta has been given the responsibility of Engineering, Design, Research & Development (R&D) operations across India & Asia Pacific Region, the company noted.

Datta led FCA India as President and Managing Director since 2019, Partha has led, including the successful launch of the new Jeep Compass and locally assembled Jeep Wrangler.

Datta joined FCA in 1999 as an engineer and over the past twenty years, worked in senior leadership positions across international industrial and commercial operations, governance, business development projects, engineering and vehicle integration.

"An accomplished international sales and marketing executive, Bouchara brings a wealth of commercial experience to his new role as CEO & Managing Director in India. He will be responsible for developing and expanding Stellantis' brands, network and business operations in India - a key growth market of focus for the company globally," Stellantis India & Asia Pacific Chief Operating Officer Carl Smiley said.

With his extensive innovation and product development experience, Datta was the ideal candidate to lead Stellantis' engineering, design and R&D operations for the region, he added.

"Datta was instrumental in delivering the Jeep brand's localised product plan in India and will lead a team focused on delivering the regional product strategy, coupled with identifying and delivering new opportunities for growth," Smiley noted.