Nissan India appoints Rakesh Srivastava as new MD     

Nissan India has appointed industry veteran Rakesh Srivastava as Managing Director. Srivastava has over two decades of experience with two Indian car companies – Maruti Suzuki India and Hyundai India. He is taking charge today. Srivastava will report to Sinan Ozkok, President of Nissan India Operations.

The company has had a couple of changes in key management in the last two years. In June this year, Thomas Kuehl resigned as President of Nissan India after taking over the responsibility in October 2017. Last year, Jerome Saigot had resigned as Managing Director for Indian operations to pursue a career outside the Nissan group.

Nissan, the world's fifth largest auto company has a market share of 1.5 per cent in India. Nissan India has, in the recent past, tried to remedy the low market share. But recent products like the Kicks haven’t delivered large enough volumes.

In 2018, Srivastava had quit as Director Sales and Marketing at Hyundai India and joined JSW Energy to lead their EV upcoming EV project but JSW dropped its plans due to lack of clarity in government policy and inherent complexities in the EV business.

Srivastava is widely credited to have played an important role in gaining and retaining 16 per cent market share for Hyundai India. He oversaw the launch and success of key products like i10 Grand, Verna, Elite i20 and Creta.

Srivastava had joined Hyundai India in 2012 as Vice President-Sales after quitting from Maruti Suzuki as Chief General Manager & Commercial Business Head. He had worked for Maruti Suzuki for almost 14 years.

Before his stint in the automotive industry, Srivastava worked in the tobacco and paint industry. He is a Science Graduate from Agra Univesity and holds a Marketing & Sales degree from IIM Ahmedabad.