Piyush Arora, former Mercedes-Benz India Director, has been appointed as the new Managing Director of Skoda Auto Volkswagen India (SAVWIPL) as of March 1, 2022. Arora succeeds Gurpratap Boparai who quit in December 2021 after a nearly four year stint.
Arora will be responsible for expanding the Volkswagen Group’s businesses in India, which includes the India 2.0 project of both Volkswagen and Skoda Auto. SAVWIPL oversees operations of five Volkswagen Group brands, Skoda Auto, Volkswagen, Audi, Porsche and Lamborghini.
Thomas Schäfer, CEO of Skoda Auto, said, “I am delighted that we have found a highly experienced professional to lead the India business. His task will be to advance and sustainably expand the Volkswagen Group’s business in India. I am convinced that he will succeed in this endeavour and wish him every success.”
India 2.0 programme
Arora joins the company at a time when the group is in the middle of its new product roll out plan. Both Skoda and VW have rolled out their first products under the India 2.0 programme while Audi entered the electric vehicle segment.
Both Skoda and VW are engaged in introducing the next set of products in the market including the Skoda Slavia and the sedan from VW which will debut in the coming months. The group is also looking to commence exports of the across the globe this year from India.
Arora has been working in the automotive industry for more than 30 years. After studying mechanical engineering at the Indian Institute of Technology in Kanpur and obtaining an International Business Diploma from Symbiosis International University in Pune, Arora began his career at Tata Motors.
He later joined Mercedes-Benz India, where he held several senior positions including the Supervisory Board positions at Mercedes-Benz Indonesia and Mercedes-Benz Vietnam, while overseeing their operations. Most recently, he oversaw the operations business for Mercedes-Benz India as its Executive Director and Head of Operations.