Hero MotoCorp names Harshavardhan Chitale as CEO effective Jan 2026

Two-wheeler market leader Hero MotoCorp Monday named Harshavardhan Chitale as its chief executive officer effective January 5, 2026.

The appointment was approved by the company’s board at its meeting held earlier in the day.

Chitale most recently served as global CEO of Dutch lighting major Signify’s €4 billion professional business, where he led 12,000 employees across 70 countries. Under his tenure, the business doubled profitability and launched over 100 new products annually, including IoT-enabled lighting ecosystems.

Earlier, he was vice chairman and MD of Philips Lighting India, where he executed its spin-off into a standalone listed company and cemented its market leadership. He has also held senior leadership roles at HCL Infosystems and Honeywell Automation India.

“Harsh’s outstanding track record in driving growth, fostering innovation and leading global transformation makes him the ideal leader for Hero MotoCorp at this pivotal moment,” Pawan Munjal, executive chairman at Hero MotoCorp, said in a statement. Chitale’s vision would accelerate Hero’s journey in electric and emerging mobility, premiumisation, digitalisation and sustainability, he added.

Chitale will be taking over the reins at a time when Hero’s No.1 position is under threat with the company grappling with declining market share, multiple senior leadership exits and fierce competition from rivals such as TVS, Bajaj and Honda Motorcycle & Scooters India.

Honda has outsold Hero in retails in the last two months, according to Federation of Automobile Dealers Associations (FADA) In August, Honda sold 3,54,531 units compared to Hero's 3,41,865 units. In July too Honda sold more--- 3,45,802 units compared to Hero's 3,39,548 units. It also had a slow start in the electric scooter market but gained some grounds in the recent past and was the fifth largest by volumes in August. Hero also had a slow start in the electric scooter market but has gained some ground in the recent past. It was the fifth largest by volume in August.

Despite robust financial discipline and strong liquidity, the company has struggled to gain traction in the fast-evolving electric vehicle market, while its premium motorcycle launches have lagged, forcing a reliance on older commuter models.

Production halts and supply chain issues have further impacted sales performance in recent months. Although Hero reported record revenue and profit for FY25, it faces significant pressures to innovate and adapt to shifting consumer preferences, regulatory demands and technological change to sustain its leadership position.

"An intensifying competition from Honda and TVS is a major challenge for the company. However, a strong rural presence should hold them in good stead. Hero is the biggest beneficiary of the recently announced GST cut, being a leader in the entry level two wheelers," said Mitul Shah, analyst at DAM Capital.

Chitale, an alumnus of IIT Delhi and recipient of the Director’s Gold Medal, brings over three decades of global leadership experience across industrial automation, lighting, IT services and digital transformation, Hero said in the statement.

As part of the transition, Vikram Kasbekar, currently acting CEO, will relinquish the role when Chitale assumes charge, but will continue as executive director and chief technology officer. He had been an acting CEO since Niranjan Gupta, who was the first to be appointed to the post, quit the company on April 30.