Vinod K Dasari appointed Royal Enfield CEO

Eicher Motors Ltd has announced the appointment of Vinod K Dasari as the Chief Executive Officer of Royal Enfield, a unit of EML. Mr Dasari will also join the Board of Eicher Motors Ltd as an executive director with immediate effect.

Vinod Dasari takes over from Siddhartha Lal, who will continue as the managing director of Eicher Motors Ltd. At Royal Enfield, Lal will continue to support Dasari and the team on product and brand related areas.

Speaking on the appointment,  Siddhartha Lal, MD, Eicher Motors, said, “After a phenomenal success story in the last decade, Royal Enfield is now building the foundations of its next level of growth. As we commence another exciting chapter, I believe there is no better person than Vinod Dasari to lead Royal Enfield into its next phase of evolution to a global brand. Vinod is a proven leader who combines business vision and people skills. He has been a catalyst in reviving the fortunes of his previous company and re-shaping the dynamics of a hitherto slow moving industry.”

“Vinod’s fearless entrepreneurial leadership, experience of managing complex businesses globally, deep understanding of customers and his vision of how digital technology will be used and experienced around the world are precisely the qualities that Royal Enfield needs as it aspires to lead and catalyse the global motorcycling industry towards middle-weights (250-750cc)”, Siddhartha added. 

Prior to joining Royal Enfield, Vinod Dasari was the CEO and managing director of Ashok Leyland, a position he held since 2011. He joined Ashok Leyland as the Chief Operating Officer in 2005. Vinod Dasari has held several leadership positions at Cummins India Limited and Timken Company where he went on to become the President of its Global Railroad business in the USA. He started his career with General Electric in 1986. 

Speaking about his new role, Vinod Dasari, CEO, Royal Enfield said, “Royal Enfield is an inspiring story and I am very excited to be part of such a fantastic brand. Personally for me, working with a consumer brand will be a tremendous learning opportunity, and professionally, I am looking forward to the challenge of creating a global consumer brand from India.”

Dasari has also served as the president of the Society of Indian Automobile Manufacturers (SIAM) from 2015 to 2017 and as President of Automotive Research Association of India (ARAI), from 2013 to 2015. Dasari was also voted Autocar Professional's Man of the Year in 2016.

Dasari holds a Masters degree in Engineering Management from the McCormick School of Engineering and a Masters in Business Administration (MBA), from the Kellogg School of Management. He earned a Bachelor’s degree in Engineering from University of Louisville in 1988.

Royal Enfield charts a new chapter
For the fiscal year ended March 31, 2019, Royal Enfield has sold a total of 805,273 units in the domestic market, which marks year-on-year flat growth of 1 percent (FY2018: 801,230). Exports comprised 20,825 units, up 8 percent (FY2018: 19,262). Cumulative sales for the year add up to 826,098 units, up 1 percent (FY2018: 820,492). 

With new competition eyeing gains in the midsize motorcycle market, Roayl Enfield will not only be looking to protect its turf but also carve out new market share. Vinod Dasari's vast experience and expertise, in sync with the team at Royal Enfield, should prove beneficial to the Chennai-based manufacturer.