Stellantis has hired Nirmal Nair to lead its sales and marketing function for the India-Asia Pacific Region, as the world’s fourth-largest automaker by sales looks to build the brand.
After a 14-year stint at Nissan, Nair joins Stellantis, as the company seeks to build the Citroen and Jeep brands in key markets of India, ASEAN, and the rest of the Asia Pacific Region.
Nair, responsible for Regional Sales and Marketing, will report to Ashwani Muppasani, Chief Operating Officer, Stellantis India and Asia Pacific. He will play a pivotal role in broadening the visibility of Stellantis' key brands, extending their reach beyond their established markets of North America (Jeep) and Europe (Citroen).
In his LinkedIn post, Nair said, “It’s a wrap. After 14 remarkable years, during which I had the privilege of working with and leading teams across 8 diverse roles in 5 countries across 2 continents, it’s time to close this significant chapter of my life.”
At Nissan, Nair was VP of marketing for Asia and Oceania, and his understanding of the region will be handy for Stellantis. He also had an elaborate stint in Europe during his nearly a decade and a half period at Nissan.
Notably, Nair's appointment marks a ‘homecoming,’ as he brings with him a history of working with Fiat Chrysler Automobile, including a significant stint in India, where he served as an Executive Assistant to the CEO of Fiat Chrysler.
A Stellantis India spokesperson confirmed Nair’s appointment.
Nair is yet another Indian executive steering an important role for Stellantis Global, signifying how the Amsterdam-headquartered automaker is banking on the intellectual capital developed in India.
His entry comes as Stellantis revamps its branding and marketing strategy for the Citroen brand in India by appointing former Indian Cricket Captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni.
Interestingly, the local setup of Stellantis has also seen a major revamp in top management.
The company has recently appointed a new MD and CEO, Shailesh Hazela, in place of Aditya Jairaj, who had a brief stint of less than 15 months at the company. The head of the Jeep and Citroen brand also came in just a couple of quarters ago.
Stellantis’ volumes in the country remain in the range of 1000-1500 units, and the group is banking on new talent to build the region’s volumes and capitalise on India as a strategic base.