Hero MotoCorp appoints Harshavardhan Chitale as CEO, effective Jan 2026

Ex-Signify and Philips executive Harshavardhan Chitale to succeed Vikram Kasbekar as Hero MotoCorp CEO

Hero MotoCorp Ltd announced on Monday the appointment of Harshavardhan Chitale as its chief executive officer (CEO), effective January 5, 2026. The board cleared the appointment at its meeting held earlier in the day, the company said in a stock filing.

 

As part of the transition, Vikram Kasbekar, who has been serving as acting CEO, will step down from the role when Chitale takes over.

 

“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. His vision and dynamism will accelerate our journey across electric and emerging mobility, premiumization, digitalisation, sustainability, and organisational renewal — shaping the future of mobility and beyond,” said Pawan Munjal, Executive Chairman, Hero MotoCorp, welcoming the new CEO.

 

Who is Harshavardhan Chitale?

Chitale is an alumnus of the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT), Delhi and brings with him over three decades of global leadership experience across industrial automation, lighting, IT services, and digital transformation. He was awarded the director’s gold medal at IIT Delhi and is also an active angel investor in EVs, clean energy, health-tech, and agri-tech ventures.

 

He most recently served as the global CEO of Signify’s €4 billion professional business, where he led 12,000 employees across 70 countries, spearheading initiatives in manufacturing, supply chain, product development, and digital transformation. Under his tenure, the business doubled profitability and introduced more than 100 new products annually, including IoT-enabled lighting ecosystems, the filing said.

 

Prior to that, he was vice-chairman and managing director of Philips Lighting India, where he executed the spin-off into a standalone public company and consolidated its market leadership.

 

Chitale has also held leadership roles at HCL Infosystems and Honeywell Automation India.

 

Transition plan

The transition will take place over the coming months, with Kasbekar working closely with Chitale to ensure a smooth handover, the company said. Kasbekar will continue on the board as executive director and chief technology officer.

 

Hero MotoCorp Q1 results: Higher net profit, drop in sales

In the first quarter of the ongoing financial year (Q1 FY26), India’s largest two-wheeler maker reported a 65.2 per cent year-on-year rise in consolidated net profit to ₹1,705.6 crore, driven by a one-time gain of ₹722.18 crore from the listing of associate company Ather Energy. On a standalone basis, profit remained flat, with sales at 1.367 million units compared with 1.535 million a year earlier.

 

The auto industry expects two-wheeler demand to improve following the government’s decision to cut GST on two-wheelers up to 350cc to 18 per cent from 28 per cent.

 

“Lowering of GST on two-wheelers will serve as a crucial enabler, offering much-needed relief to first-time buyers, especially in rural and semi-urban areas, where it is the backbone of personal mobility,” Munjal said last week.

 

Shares of Hero MotoCorp were trading at ₹5469 apiece as of 10:00 am on the BSE on Monday, up nearly 2 per cent.