PB Balaji named the first Indian CEO of Jaguar Land Rover
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In a landmark appointment, Jaguar Land Rover (JLR), owned by Tata Motors, has named PB Balaji as its next Chief Executive Officer — making him the first Indian to lead the iconic British luxury carmaker.
Balaji, currently serving as the Group Chief Financial Officer (CFO) at Tata Motors, will officially step into the CEO role at JLR in November 2025.
He will take over from Adrian Mardell, who has announced his retirement after a distinguished 35-year career at JLR, including three years as CEO.
Tata Motors confirmed the leadership transition in a regulatory filing, stating that the decision was approved during the JLR Board meeting held on August 4. Mardell will remain with the company through the transition period until the end of his contract to ensure a smooth handover.
"I would like to thank Adrian for the stellar turnaround of JLR and for delivering record results. I am delighted to appoint Balaji as the incoming CEO of the company," said N Chandrasekaran, Chairman of Jaguar Land Rover PLC, Tata Motors, and Tata Sons. He added that the board had conducted an extensive search over the past several months and selected Balaji due to his deep familiarity with the company and ongoing work with JLR's leadership.
"This move will ensure that we continue to accelerate our journey to Reimagine JLR," Chandrasekaran said.
Reacting to his appointment, Balaji expressed his enthusiasm for the new role. "It is my privilege to lead this incredible company. Over the past eight years, I have grown to know and love this company and its redoubtable global brands. I look forward to working with the team to take it to even greater heights," he said.
Balaji brings over three decades of global experience in the automotive and consumer goods industries, particularly in finance and supply chain management. He has held leadership roles in various international locations, including Mumbai, London, Singapore, and Switzerland, and played a key role in Tata Motors’ recent transformation.
He holds a B.Tech in Mechanical Engineering from IIT-Chennai and a Post Graduate Diploma in Management from IIM.
