Mahindra auto CEO Nalinikanth Gollagunta moves to new growth role

Gollagunta steps away from the auto business

Mahindra announced on November 10 and 11 that Nalinikanth Gollagunta, Chief Executive Officer of its automotive division since April 2023, will move to a new group level role from April 1, 2027. He becomes Executive Vice President and Head of Corporate Development, working out of Mahindra's Worli office in Mumbai and reporting directly to group CEO and managing director Anish Shah.

Gollagunta's new job is to look for a fresh growth business for the Mahindra Group outside its current plans, not to launch another SUV or widen the dealer network. Mahindra has not said which sector it has in mind. Shah has said the group will enter a new area only if it has a real advantage over rivals, can build the business to a meaningful size and can earn returns better than the industry average.

Gollagunta came to Mahindra from GE Healthcare, where he was global CEO of enterprise digital, and carries more than 22 years of experience across India, the United States and Southeast Asia.

Who runs sales and marketing now

Alongside Gollagunta's move, Mahindra named Shuchi Suri as Chief Sales and Marketing Officer for the automotive business, also effective April 1, 2027. Suri joined Mahindra Group in May 2026 after more than two decades at Unilever across India, Asia Pacific and global roles. In her new post she will oversee sales, marketing, customer care, charging infrastructure and accessories for the auto business, reporting to R Velusamy, President of the Automotive Business.

Mahindra has not named anyone to the CEO title Gollagunta leaves behind. Day to day charge of the automotive business sits with Velusamy as president, with Suri now running sales and marketing under him from next April.

What it means for buyers

For someone booking a Thar, a Scorpio N, an XUV700 or one of Mahindra's new electric SUVs, the BE 6 and the XEV 9e, nothing changes in showrooms or on the production line in the near term. The reshuffle is at the top of the organisation chart and takes effect only from April 1, 2027, five months from now.

The bigger signal is about where Mahindra puts its money next. The group has spent the last three years turning its SUV business around and building an EV sub brand around the BE and XEV names. Handing its outgoing auto CEO a mandate to scout a business beyond cars and tractors suggests Mahindra wants its next big bet to sit outside the vehicle factory floor, even as Velusamy and Suri keep running the existing SUV and EV range. Buyers should watch for what that new business turns out to be, since it will show where Mahindra expects growth to come from once its current SUV and EV launches mature.

Sources

• Mahindra appoints auto CEO Nalinikanth to lead corporate development
• Mahindra appoints Shuchi Suri as Chief Sales and Marketing Officer for automotive business
• Mahindra moves Nalinikanth Gollagunta to corporate development from auto CEO role