Exclusive: Renault India VP sales and marketing Sudhir Malhotra steps down, Francisco Hidalgo to replace him

Sudhir Malhotra, VP, sales and marketing at Renault India, has stepped down. The French car maker has brought in Francisco Hidalgo Marques, the MD of the Dacia brand in Spain and Portugal, who will take over from Malhotra in the coming months. 

An internal communication viewed by Autocar Professional stated, "After eleven years of dedicated services. Sudhir Malhotra has decided to step down from his role for personal reasons."

The internal note introduced Francisco Hidalgo, who will take over as the next Sales & Marketing Head beginning in early 2025. Francisco joined Renault Group in Paris in 2003 and has experience of over a decade and a half, with the French carmaker.

In a stint spanning over a decade, Malhotra progressed from his position of after-sales and customer care to head of sales and network and then went on to lead sales and marketing of Renault India as its Vice President.

The note addressed by Venkatram Mamillapalle, the MD of Renault India, said, “We are confident that he will continue to lead our organization towards greater success. Sudhir and Francisco will ensure a smooth transition, and you will have the opportunity to meet them in the coming months.”

He has worked in numerous roles, from planning, forecasting, communication, marketing, and sales to leading operations. His international and multi-cultural profile may come in handy for Renault as it prepares for a fresh wave of products for the Indian market, from B and C-segment SUVs to A-segment electric vehicles.

In his career of over 15 years, Hidalgo has worked on several overseas assignments, including in the EU, Russia, and Korea.

Hidalgo has worked in markets such as France, South Korea, Italy, Poland, the Czech Republic, Hungary, Russia, and Spain. He is fluent in French, English, and Spanish. In his LinkedIn profile, Hidalgo claims he has an entrepreneurial spirit and strong empathy.

It will be a very challenging profile for Hidalgo, as Renault India has hit a new low in terms of volumes and market share, and it is desperately waiting for a new range or products to revive volumes and regain its lost share in a hyper-competitive Indian car market.