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Renault India's Quiet Fixer

As the head of Renault India, Francisco Hidalgo Marques faces his biggest challenge yet.

By Ketan Thakkar

20 Jan 2026

29457 Views

When Renault Group began redrawing its global growth priorities, India moved sharply up the list. The market was no longer a “nice-to-have”; it was becoming a strategic anchor. The company needed someone who understood scale, volatility, culture, and transformation, often simultaneously.

And that’s how Francisco Hidalgo Marques, a 22-year Renault veteran, found himself unpacking cartons in Gurgaon, with his wife and two young daughters settling into a city they had only known through food, music, and stories. For Francisco, the move felt both familiar and entirely new. He has lived across continents, adapted to unfamiliar cultures, and rebuilt brands ...

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