Škoda Auto Volkswagen India announces leadership shake-up as brand eyes aggressive growth
Ashish Gupta, currently Brand Director of Volkswagen Passenger Cars, will assume the role of Brand Director for Škoda India effective May 1, succeeding Petr Janeba. Nitin Kohli will take over as the new Volkswagen Brand Director.
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Škoda Auto Volkswagen India Private Limited (SAVWIPL) on Monday announced a major leadership transition, signaling the company’s ambitions for deeper market penetration and a renewed focus on local leadership. Ashish Gupta, currently Brand Director of Volkswagen Passenger Cars, will assume the role of Brand Director for Škoda India effective May 1, succeeding Petr Janeba. Nitin Kohli will take over as the new Volkswagen Brand Director.
Janeba, a long-serving executive with the Czech automaker since 1999, will return to Škoda’s global headquarters following his tenure in India.
The leadership reshuffle highlights SAVWIPL’s broader strategy of grooming Indian executives to helm key roles in a competitive and rapidly evolving automotive market.
“These leadership changes reflect our commitment to empowering Indian leaders who understand the market’s needs,” said Piyush Arora, CEO and Managing Director of SAVWIPL. “Ashish and Nitin’s experience will guide Škoda and Volkswagen into their next phase of growth.”
Gupta brings over two decades of experience in the automotive sector, including 12 years within the Volkswagen Group. Since taking charge of Volkswagen’s brand operations in India, he has led the execution of the India 2.0 strategy, a cornerstone of which was the launch of the Taigun and Virtus models.
In his new role at Škoda, Gupta will be tasked with expanding the company’s retail footprint, deepening customer engagement, and accelerating growth across the Indian subcontinent.
Replacing Gupta at Volkswagen Passenger Cars is Nitin Kohli, who currently leads Sales and Operations at Audi India. Kohli brings more than 25 years of experience in automotive sales and business development, including 12 years at SAVWIPL. His appointment is seen as a strategic move to reinforce Volkswagen’s momentum in the market.
According to industry reports, the automaker aims to achieve monthly sales of 8,000 Kylaq units by the end of 2025, a key milestone in its broader goal of surpassing 100,000 annual vehicle sales in India beginning in 2026.
