Chandigarh, India, September 2025 — SML Isuzu Ltd has announced the appointment of Vinod Sahay as its new Executive Chairman. With more than two decades of leadership experience across the Mahindra Group and Tata Motors, Vinod brings a wealth of expertise in the commercial vehicle, automotive, aerospace, and defence sectors.
Vinod is currently serving as President – Aerospace & Defence, Trucks, Buses & Construction Equipment at the Mahindra Group and is a member of the Group Executive Board. In this capacity, he has played a pivotal role in scaling Mahindra’s ambitions in defence and aerospace, while simultaneously driving growth in its commercial vehicle and automotive businesses.
During his tenure with Mahindra, he has held multiple senior leadership roles. As President & Chief Procurement Officer of Mahindra & Mahindra Ltd., he managed a spend of approximately ₹45,000 crore across vehicle parts, systems, software, and capital goods, and also led the Spares Business Unit. Earlier, he was CEO of Mahindra Trucks and Buses Division and Mahindra Construction Equipment Division, where he successfully executed business turnaround strategies. He also led the Mahindra Two-Wheelers business as CEO, overseeing its international operations and board responsibilities at Peugeot Scooters, France.
Before joining Mahindra in 2015, Vinod spent 17 years with Tata Motors, holding various leadership roles in strategy, business management, sales, marketing, product management, and channel development. His last role at Tata Motors was as Business Head – Medium & Heavy Trucks, where he played a critical role in strengthening Tata’s position in the commercial vehicles segment.
Recognized among India’s Most Inspirational Business Leaders by White Page International, Vinod has also engaged with global institutions such as the World Economic Forum and the World Bank Group, contributing to thought leadership in manufacturing, supply chains, and resilient growth models.
An alumnus of Carnegie Mellon University – Tepper School of Business as a CII-Fulbright Scholar, Vinod also holds a Master’s in International Business (Marketing) from Symbiosis Institute of International Business, Pune, and a B.Sc. in Physics (Honours) from Delhi University.
At SML Isuzu Ltd, Vinod will focus on strengthening the company’s market presence, accelerating innovation, and driving sustainable growth in the light and medium commercial vehicle industry.
About SML Isuzu Ltd
Founded in 1985, SML Isuzu Ltd is a premier commercial vehicle manufacturer with over 40 years of expertise in designing and producing light and medium commercial vehicles tailored for Indian markets. The company was the first in India to deliver fully built buses, ambulances, and customized vehicles. Supported by Sumitomo Corporation, Japan (44% stake) and Isuzu Motors, Japan (15% stake), SML Isuzu continues to advance innovation, quality, and reliability in commercial mobility solutions.
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