By WAF Think Tank
Jaguar Land Rover (JLR), the iconic British luxury carmaker owned by Tata Motors, has named P B Balaji its new Chief Executive Officer — a historic moment, as he becomes the first Indian to lead the company. His appointment, effective mid-November 2025, marks a significant milestone for both JLR and its parent company.
A New Era Begins
Balaji takes over from Adrian Mardell, who retires after a 35-year tenure—three of those as JLR’s CEO—and will support the transitional phase through the end of his contract. The JLR board approved Balaji’s appointment on August 4, 2025, with formal assumption of the role set for approximately November 17, 2025.
Why P B Balaji?
Balaji has served as Group Chief Financial Officer of Tata Motors since November 2017 and brings over three decades of experience across the automotive and consumer goods sectors—in finance, supply chains, and strategic leadership. He holds a B.Tech in Mechanical Engineering from IIT Madras (1991 batch) and a Post‑Graduate Diploma in Management from IIM Calcutta (1993).
Balaji is also a seasoned global leader, having managed large, multicultural teams across Mumbai, London, Singapore, and Switzerland. Inside the Tata Group, he holds board positions across diverse subsidiaries—from Air India to Tata Passenger Electric Mobility.
Context and Challenges
Balaji assumes leadership at a pivotal moment for JLR:
- The company is pursuing an aggressive strategy to transition Jaguar to an all‑electric luxury brand by 2026, with full EV alignment by 2030.
- JLR’s rebranding campaign launched in late 2024 sparked global backlash, including criticism of its logo change and advertising that omitted vehicles entirely.
- Sales have dipped by ~15% recently amid U.S. tariff delays and phased‑out legacy models; uncertain EV demand poses further pressure.
Leadership Vision
Natarajan Chandrasekaran, Chairman of Jaguar Land Rover PLC, Tata Motors, and Tata Sons, praised Mardell’s stewardship: “the stellar turnaround of JLR and record results,” and expressed confidence that Balaji will help “accelerate our journey to Reimagine JLR”.
In a statement, Balaji reflected:
“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.” He added: “I look forward to working with the team to take it to even greater heights.”
What This Means
Balaji’s appointment underscores Tata Motors’ shift toward greater operational integration and trust in home‑grown leadership, especially for high‑value global assets like JLR . As the first Tata Motors executive—and first Indian ever—to lead JLR, his elevation marks the culmination of 17 years since the acquisition of Jaguar and Land Rover in 2008.
Anuj Guglani, CEO, World Auto Forum commentd, ‘JLR now looks to Balaji to steer through electrification, brand repositioning, EV rollouts, and geopolitical market constraints while delivering on profitability and creative differentiation.’
Looking Forward
Starting November 17, 2025, P B Balaji will take the helm of JLR in a high-stakes phase of transition. With his financial acumen and Tata pedigree, he is expected to deliver strategic discipline, innovation-led branding, and stronger integration across the Tata ecosystem.
P B Balaji:
- First Indian CEO of Jaguar Land Rover
- Assumes leadership in mid-Nov 2025
- Former Tata Motors Group CFO since 2017
- IIT Madras (B.Tech), IIM Calcutta (PGDM)
Source: worldautoforum.com
