Tata Motors’ Shailesh Chandra Elected President, OICA: First Indian to Lead Global Industry Association

Shailesh Chandra, Managing Director & CEO of Tata Motors Passenger Vehicles and Managing Director, Tata Passenger Electric Mobility Ltd has been elected the newest President of the Organisation Internationale des Constructeurs d’Automobiles (OICA). The appointment will be effective from November 1. 

Chandra also serves as the current President of the Society of Indian Automobile Manufacturers (SIAM). He has worked at Tata group companies since 1995, starting as a production manager for Tata Motors before moving on to more senior roles, eventually taking charge of corporate strategy and business transformation. He has headed the company’s electric mobility efforts since 2018, and the overall passenger vehicle business unit since 2020.

According to Chandra’s profile, his tenure is most notable for executing a turnaround of Tata Motors’ passenger vehicle business. He is credited for spearheading the company’s push into electric mobility, making it one of India’s largest passenger EV manufacturers. 

A B.Tech (Mechanical Engineering) graduate from IIT Varanasi, Chandra also has an Executive MBA from SP Jain Institute of Management and Research, and was a 2012 Fulbright-CII-Nehru Fellow at Carnegie Mellon University’s Tepper School of Business. 

In a statement, Chandra said “It is an honour to become the first OICA President from India, which is highlighting the organisation’s global representation. As the global automotive industry transitions towards sustainable mobility and pursuits ‘Net Zero’, in alignment with the visions of governments worldwide, the role of OICA becomes increasingly critical — to acknowledge the diversity of every region, as we collectively strive to make our vehicles more aspirational, safer, and environmentally friendly.”

SIAM acknowledged the election result in its own statement, saying "SIAM President Mr Shailesh Chandra’s election as President of OICA marks a moment of pride for India’s automotive fraternity and recognition of our growing global influence. As the sector navigates the transition to sustainable mobility, his leadership at the global forum promises to bring a balanced, future-focused perspective to global automotive policy and collaboration and accelerate India’s accent on the world stage. SIAM congratulates Mr Shailesh Chandra and looks forward to continued cooperation with OICA in advancing innovation and inclusivity in mobility worldwide."

Chandra succeeds the current OICA President, John Bozzella, who is also President and CEO of the Alliance for Automotive Innovation (USA). The organisation’s members have also elected Hildegard Müller, President of Germany’s Verband der Automobilindustrie (VDA), as its next Vice President. The announcement cites her leadership experience in Europe’s automotive sector, industry, government, and energy.

This marks the second recent instance of an Indian automobile industry executive being appointed to lead a global industry association, after Rakesh Sharma, Executive Director, Bajaj Auto, became President of the International Motorcycle Manufacturers’ Association (IMMA) in 2020.

The Organisation Internationale des Constructeurs d’Automobiles (OICA) was founded in 1919 and represents 36 national associations of motor vehicle manufacturers around the world. It brings leaders together to discuss issues of mobility, safety, governance, and the environment. It also advocates for consistent standards worldwide, issues global production and sales statistics, and supports international motor shows.