Gurpratap Boparai steps down from Mahindra & Mahindra

Gurpratap Boparai, the CEO of Automotive Businesses Europe and CEO Mahindra Trucks and Buses has resigned from the company. 

Boparal has decided to pursue opportunities outside the Mahindra Group. His last working day will be May 31, 2024.

Boparai had joined Mahindra & Mahindra in 2022, taking charge of its European operation — overseeing Peugeot Motors and Automobili Pininfarina.

An internal circular from the company stated that Boparai has played an important role in the Mahindra Truck and Bus Division and Construction Equipment (MTBD and CE), driving the divestment and all related activities at Peugeot Motors and overseeing Automobili Pininfarina (APF).

Vinod Sahay who is President, Aerospace and Defence and Chief Purchase Officer, Auto and Farm Sectors (AFS), will now have additional responsibility for MTBD and CE. Sahay will be designated as President and Chief Purchase Officer (CPO) for AFS and President for Aerospace and Defence, MTBD and CE after May 31, 2024.

After this change, the manufacturing and supply chain functions for MTBD and CE will also get aligned to Vinod's structure and Jalaj Gupta, Business Head for MTBD and CE, will report to Vinod.

Rajeev Goyal, Chief Finance Officer for AFS, will oversee the APF business in transition, from Boparai.

"The detailed organisational structure will be announced separately," added the internal circular.  

Sahay will continue to report to Dr. Anish Shah, Group CEO and MD, Mahindra Group, for Aerospace and Defence and to Rajesh Jejurikar, Executive Director of Mahindra & Mahindra for his responsibilities related to CPO of AFS, MTBD and CE.

The above changes are in effect from June 1, 2024.

Prior to Mahindra & Mahindra, Boparai had laid the foundation stone of critical ventures at Skoda Auto Volkswagen India for its India 2.0 project, localisation of the first Jeep SUV — Compass in India. He was also the CEO of Tata Motors and Fiat India Limited’s joint venture in the country in a career spanning over three decades.  

Sahay, the President for the Aerospace and Defence businesses and Chief Procurement Officer of Mahindra and Mahindra is also a member of Group Executive Board (GEB) of the Mahindra Group.

Heading the Aerospace and Defence sectors Sahay is steering the businesses to work towards making India more self-reliant by collaborating with the Ministry of Defence. His focus is on key strategic projects to cater to needs of all three wings of the defence forces – Army, Airforce and Navy as well as defence development agencies in collaboration with global technology partners and suppliers.

In his role as the Chief Purchase officer of the group, Sahay manages a spend of approximately USD 9 billion for the Auto and Farm Sectors across three major verticals — vehicle parts and systems sourcing, capex sourcing and services sourcing. He also leads the Spares Business Unit of M&M.

Prior to this he was CEO of Mahindra Truck and Bus Division and Mahindra Construction Equipment Division – so the additional charge may come naturally to him. His experience of over a decade and a half in the commercial vehicle market will come in handy.

Sahay had joined Mahindra in 2015 as COO of Mahindra Two Wheelers and was elevated as CEO of Two-Wheeler Business in 2016.