Rail technology major Bombardier Transportation has announced that Sudhir Rao is to assume the role of managing director at Bombardier Transportation in India. In this position, Rao will oversee all Bombardier Transportation’s activities in India.

“India is one of the high priority markets for Bombardier Transportation. We have placed a strong focus on delivering projects for the Indian and export market, enhancing our engineering and industrial footprint, and increasing our local content to continue delivering on the Indian government’s Make in India initiative,” said Laurent Troger, president of Bombardier Transportation. “Sudhir has the proven credentials to drive profitable growth for companies: strong leadership skills, deep manufacturing industry experience and a track record of execution that makes him the right choice to lead our India business as we continue to transform our company.”

Rao joins Bombardier Transportation from Skoda Auto India  where he held the position of chairman and MD, India till recently. Rao, who has 34 years of working experience, also worked at General Motors, Renault India and AVTEC Ltd in various executive roles, both in India and worldwide. He graduated from the University of Michigan in the US and holds an engineering degree from the Birla Institute of Technology and Science in Pilani, India.

With investments in India covering over 50 years, Bombardier has developed well-established manufacturing operations, engineering capabilities, as well as a local base of suppliers and highly skilled employees. Bombardier Transportation employs approximately 2,400 people in India. The company operates a railway vehicle manufacturing site and bogie assembly hall in Savli, near Vadodara, Gujarat, a propulsion systems manufacturing facility at Maneja, a Rail Control Solutions Centre for project delivery and product engineering, and an Information Services India hub near Gurgaon, Delhi NCR. This is in addition to an Engineering Centre in Hyderabad.