JLR names Tata Motors CFO as new chief executive

Jaguar Land Rover has named P B Balaji as CEO, replacing Adrian Mardell who announced he is retiring.

The automotive giant confirmed last week that Mr Mardell would step down after three years at the helm.

He had been with the company for more than three decades.

Mr Balaji (pictured), who takes the reins from November, has been Tata Motors' group chief financial officer since late 2017.

Mr Mardell said: “These three years have been a great privilege. Together with the incredible JLR workforce, we have cemented JLR’s position in the automotive industry during a time of incredible change.

“I would like to thank everyone in JLR and the extended Tata Group, and wish Balaji every success in his new role.”

Mr. P B Balaji is a global finance professional with almost three decades of experience in the corporate sector spanning the FMCG and Automotive industries.

As well as being the CFO of Tata Motors, and he served as a non‑executive director on the board of JLR. 

He is also on the boards of Tata Consumer, Air India and Titan Industries. 

He started his career with Unilever in 1995 and worked in different corporate finance roles across Asian markets, Switzerland, UK and India.

He joined Tata Motors after his last assignment with Hindustan Unilever, a USD 6 billion enterprise, where he headed the finance function as CFO.

An alumnus of the Indian Institute of Technology, Chennai, Mr Balaji also has a post‑graduate degree in management from the Indian Institute of Management, Calcutta.

Mr Balaji said: “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.

“I thank Adrian for his immense contributions and wish him well for his next innings.”