Tata Motors appoints P B Balaji as the first Indian CEO of Jaguar Land Rover

Tata Motors’ Group CFO PB Balaji will become the CEO of Jaguar Land Rover on November 17, making him the first Indian to lead the famous British car brand.

At JLR, Balaji will succeed Adrian Mardell, who is retiring after 35 years with the company, including three as CEO. 

Balaji, chosen by Tata Sons chairman N Chandrasekaran from Hindustan Unilever, joined Tata Motors in 2017 and has played a key role in its transformation. His appointment shows strong leadership trust in his vision and execution.

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Balaji’s move to JLR comes at a key moment for Tata Motors, which is restructuring to split its passenger and commercial vehicle businesses into separate listed entities. With this shift, the company may no longer need a group CFO. His appointment is seen as part of a broader strategy to give each business more independence and flexibility.

"It is my privilege to lead this iconic company, Over the past eight years, I've come to deeply admire JLR and its exceptional brands. I look forward to the road ahead with optimism and purpose," Balaji said. 

Under Balaji’s financial leadership, Tata Motors posted its highest-ever consolidated revenue of ₹4.39 lakh crore in FY25, with a pre-tax profit of ₹34,330 crore and after-tax profit of ₹28,149 crore. Its India operations also turned net cash positive with a ₹1,018 crore surplus.

Balaji played a key role in improving Tata Motors’ capital discipline, cost efficiency, and leadership in electric vehicles—helping build a stronger, more resilient company.

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He began his career at Hindustan Unilever in 1993, first in supply chain roles, then moving into senior finance positions globally, including as CFO of Hindustan Unilever. D Sundaram mentored him during his time there.

An IIT-Chennai and IIM-Kolkata alumnus, Balaji sits on the boards of Air India, Titan, Tata Technologies, and Tata Consumer Products. In FY25, he was the highest-paid executive in the Tata Group, earning ₹21.09 crore—a sign of his rising influence within the group.