Hero MotoCorp Appoints Harshavardhan Chitale as Chief Executive Officer
Former Signify executive will assume the role in January 2026, replacing acting CEO Vikram Kasbekar who will continue as Executive Director
Hero MotoCorp Limited announced the appointment of Harshavardhan Chitale as Chief Executive Officer, effective January 5, 2026. The decision was made during a board meeting held on September 8, 2025, as disclosed in regulatory filings to the National Stock Exchange and BSE Limited.
Chitale will replace Vikram Kasbekar, who has served as Acting Chief Executive Officer. Following the transition, Kasbekar will continue with the company as Executive Director and Chief Technology Officer on Hero MotoCorp's board.
The incoming CEO brings over three decades of global leadership experience across business-to-business and business-to-consumer sectors. Chitale most recently served as Global CEO of Signify's Professional Business division, a €4 billion operation spanning 70 countries with 12,000 employees. In this role, he oversaw manufacturing, supply chain operations, product development, and digital transformation initiatives.
Prior to his tenure at Signify, Chitale held the position of Vice Chairman and Managing Director at Philips Lighting India, where he managed the company's transition into a standalone public entity. His career also includes leadership positions at HCL Infosystems and Honeywell Automation India.
Chitale holds an engineering degree from the Indian Institute of Technology Delhi, where he received the Director's Gold Medal. Beyond his corporate roles, he maintains investments in electric vehicles, clean energy, health technology, and agricultural technology sectors.
Hero MotoCorp, headquartered in New Delhi, is one of India's largest motorcycle manufacturers. The company has been navigating leadership transitions while maintaining its position in the domestic two-wheeler market. The appointment comes as the automotive industry faces challenges related to electric vehicle adoption and changing consumer preferences.
The regulatory filing was submitted under the Securities and Exchange Board of India's listing obligations and disclosure requirements, which mandate public companies to inform shareholders of significant management changes.
RELATED ARTICLES
Volvo Cars names Skoda’s Klaus Zellmer as new president, CEO
Zellmer will take the new role in October 2027.
Volvo’s 20:1 Compression Ratio Breakthrough: How Dual-Wave Pistons Could Deliver 4% Fuel Savings for Indian Fleets
A decade after its engineers reshaped the piston crown and halved diesel soot, Volvo has doubled down, on the design at ...
Weekly News Wrap: Record Auto Sales Spur Production Push, Fresh Investments
The week saw Kia and Hyundai raise production on strong demand, passenger vehicle and scooter volumes hSemiit fresh hig...


08 Sep 2025
Autocar Professional Bureau

Shahkar Abidi