Manjari Upadhye has been appointed Chief Marketing Officer of Mahindra & Mahindra's automotive business.
Autocar Professional learns that Manjari will be responsible for the marketing function of the Internal Combustion Engine product portfolio, including digital marketing, PR, and Mahindra Adventure Initiatives. She will report to Nalinikanth Gollagunta, M&M's automotive business CEO.
With over two and a half decades of experience in marketing, sales, e-commerce, and P&L management, Manjari's expertise spans multiple brands in home improvement, apparel, food and beverages, oral care, and personal care segments. Upadhye has worked for leading consumer brands, such as Colgate, Ocean Spray, PepsiCo, and Mondelez, for over a decade and a half.
Until recently, Manjari served as the CEO of Welspun Living Limited's domestic business, where she managed the home, textiles, flooring, and advanced textiles portfolio. Her role also involved developing a branded value-added play in a highly unorganised sector. She also won the Chairman’s Award at Welspun Living.
She joins Mahindra & Mahindra at a time when the brand is at its peak and getting ready to expand its share and presence in the fast-growing Sports Utility Vehicle market.
Her first significant assignment will be launching the 5-door Thar, which will officially be unveiled on August 15.
Mahindra & Mahindra has guided mid-teens growth for the current financial year, and the company may be crossing the sales milestone of half a million units per annum for the first time.
Given the aggressive product pipeline for electric vehicles in the next 12-18 months, expected to grab significant mindshare with prospective buyers, Upadhye will have a crucial role in ensuring that the internal combustion engine gets its due share over the next two to three years.
M&M has committed to investing Rs 37,000 crore in the next three years, and aggressive product launch plans for the internal combustion engine are in place.