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Who is P.B. Balaji, the Tata Motors CFO set to lead Jaguar Land Rover as CEO in 2025?
Tata Motors’ Group CFO and seasoned global finance leader, P.B. Balaji, will succeed Adrian Mardell as CEO of Jaguar Land Rover, bringing nearly three decades of experience in FMCG and automotive sectors.
Balaji, currently serving as the Group Chief Financial Officer (CFO) of Tata Motors, has played a pivotal role in the group’s ongoing transformation efforts.
Jaguar Land Rover (JLR), the British luxury vehicle division of Tata Motors, has announced the appointment of P.B. Balaji as its next Chief Executive Officer, effective November 2025.
He will succeed Adrian Mardell, who will retire after a remarkable 32-year career at the company, including three impactful years at the helm.
Balaji, currently serving as Group Chief Financial Officer (CFO) of Tata Motors, has been instrumental in driving the company's transformation journey.
His close collaboration with JLR's leadership in recent years, coupled with a deep understanding of the automaker's strategic direction, made him the natural choice for the role.
A global finance professional with almost three decades of experience, Balaji's career spans the FMCG and automotive industries.
He has served as a non-executive director on the JLR Board since December 2017, and also holds board positions at Tata Consumer, Air India, and Titan Industries.
Balaji began his professional journey with Unilever in 1995, taking on various corporate finance roles across Asian markets, Switzerland, the UK and India. Before joining Tata Motors, he was the Chief Financial Officer of Hindustan Unilever.
An alumnus of the Indian Institute of Technology, Chennai, and the Indian Institute of Management, Calcutta, Balaji is widely recognized for his ability to balance financial discipline with strategic vision.
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