MUMBAI: Maruti Suzuki has turbocharged its leadership lineup with two heavyweight appointments that promise to rev up the company's strategic engines.

Sunil Kakkar, a 35-year veteran of the automotive trenches, will slide into the director (corporate planning) role from 1 April 2025. An IIT Kanpur engineer with an MBA  gold medal, Kakkar arrives with a portfolio that reads like a automotive industry roadmap—from supply chain mastery to international joint venture architecting.

His corporate credentials include chairing industry bodies like SIAM's Aatmanirbhar Bharat Sourcing Group and holding directorial seats across multiple associate companies. With awards like supply chain leader of the year, Kakkar has the right credentials. 

Joining the corporate pit crew is Tapan Sahoo, designated head of digital enterprise and information & cyber security. An IIT Delhi alumnus with a PhD and "fellow" status from prestigious engineering academies, Sahoo brings 33 years of technology management firepower.

His brief? Turbocharg digital transformation, leverage AI/ML  technologies, and collaborate with startups and academia. With multiple patents and research publications under his belt, Sahoo looks set to be Maruti Suzuki's digital alchemist.

These appointments signal Maruti Suzuki's intent to blend traditional automotive expertise with cutting-edge technological innovation—a strategic chess move in an increasingly complex mobility landscape.