Vinod Dasari replaces Siddharth Lal as CEO of Royal Enfield

Lal will continue as MD of Eicher Motors

Vinod K Dasari has joined Royal Enfield, the noted motorcycle maker, as chief executive officer (CEO). 

Enfield is part of Eicher Motors and Dasari also joins the latter’s board of directors as an executive director.

Dasari takes over from Siddhartha Lal as Enfield’s CEO. Lal will continue as managing director (MD) of Eicher Motors. 

Dasari comes from Ashok Leyland, the commercial vehicle major, where he was in a leadership role since 2005, the past eight years as MD. Lal said, “After a phenomenal success story in the last decade, Enfield is building the foundations of its next level of growth... there is no better person than Dasari to lead Enfield into its next phase of evolution to a global brand. Vinod’s are precisely the qualities Enfield needs as it aspires to lead and catalyse the global motorcycling industry towards middle weights (250-750cc).” 

Dasari said: “Enfield is an inspiring story, a fantastic brand... I am looking forward to the challenge of creating a global consumer brand from India.”

Leyland’s total sales were 101,990 units in 2011-12, the first year under Dasari. In 2017-18, it was 174,873 units. The company’s profit in the period nearly tripled, from Rs 565 crore then to Rs 1,760 crore. He joined Leyland as chief operating officer in 2005. Starting his career in the US with General Electric in 1986, Dasari has held leadership positions at Cummins India and Timken Company, where he also became president of its global railroad business.

Royal Enfield to invest Rs 700 crore

Siddhartha Lal

Enfield will invest Rs 700 crore in 2019-20. The planned capex will include completion of underconstruction technology centre’s phase-2 at the Vallam Vadagal plant in Tamil Nadu, and towards the development of new platforms and products. Also, Enfield plans a production of 950,000 motorcycles for 2019-20. 

Lal said, “This year Enfield will focus on the transition to the BS-VI emission norms along with strengthening product development capabilities and working towards new global platforms. The phase-2 of our Vallam Vadagal plant is expected to commence commercial production in the second half of this financial year.”