Exclusive: Mahindra Expands Nalinikanth Gollagunta’s Role Within a Year of Appointment

Within a couple of years of joining Mahindra & Mahindra, Nalinikanth Gollagunta, CEO of the Automotive Division, has expanded his mandate significantly. As part of a broader leadership realignment across the Auto and Farm Sector, Gollagunta will now take on additional responsibilities for International Operations, Product Planning, Charging Infrastructure, and the Mahindra Electric Automobile Limited (MEAL) organization, effective May 5, 2025.

This expansion adds to his existing portfolio, which includes an oversight of manufacturing operations, sales, customer care, and marketing for the Automotive Division. As he is known internally, Nal will continue reporting to R. Velusamy, appointed President—Automotive Business (AB), a newly consolidated role overseeing the SUV and LCV (below 3.5-tonne) segments with full P&L accountability.

Rajesh Jejurikar, ED and CEO, Auto and Farm Sector, Mahindra & Mahindra told Autocar Professional, “Nalinikanth Gollagunta has been an integral part of our leadership and at the helm of our Automotive business since April 2023. With this extended profile, I am confident that his experience and dedication will continue to help us drive the business further.

Gollagunta’s appointment in mid-2024 marked a key external leadership addition aimed at boosting execution across Mahindra’s automotive business.

Mahindra’s internal communication notes, “Nal will have additional responsibility effective May 5, 2025, for International Operations, Product Planning, Charging Infrastructure, and the MEAL organization, over and above his current responsibilities.”

The move signals Mahindra’s sharpened focus on integrating product planning, EV strategy, and global growth under unified leadership, particularly as the company prepares to scale its Born Electric vehicle platform and expand international operations.

Nal’s cross-functional expertise and digital-first leadership are expected to be instrumental in bridging strategic vision with operational delivery as Mahindra enters a critical phase of transformation in its automotive business.

Nal brings over two decades of diverse global leadership experience across technology, healthcare, and consulting domains. Before joining Mahindra & Mahindra, he served as the President and CEO of GE Healthcare India and South Asia and the Managing Director of Wipro GE Healthcare, where he was responsible for driving commercial outcomes, strategic expansion, and partnerships in the region. Before GE, he was the Country Head and Managing Director of Enterprise Sales for India and SAARC at Cisco, leading go-to-market strategies and new market creation.

Earlier in his career, Nal worked with McKinsey & Company on business transformation and growth strategies, and with Texas Instruments, where he led advanced semiconductor design initiatives. He holds an undergraduate degree in Electrical Engineering from IIT Madras, a master’s from Pennsylvania State University, and an MBA from Cornell University.