E-scooter firm Ather Energy strengthens leadership, hires two execs

Gurinder Singh Sukhija joins as head of ownership management; Murali Sashidharan to lead communications and government relations.

Ather Energy has announced two appointments to strengthen its leadership as the electric scooter maker charts its long-term business objectives.

Gurinder Singh Sukhija will join the company as head of ownership management and Murali Sashidharan as head of communications and government relations.

Bengaluru-based Ather competes with other electric two-wheeler makers, such as SoftBank-backed Ola Electric, Bounce, Hero Electric, Bajaj’s Chetak, TVS Motor Com­pany, and Boom Motors.

A growing demand for electric scooters has resulted in strong demand for Ather’s 450 series. The company has registered strong year-on-year growth and has expanded its retail footprint to 26 cities.

“Delivering a delightful experience through the entire length of the customers’ journey has always been a strength and priority for us. ‘Ownership experience’ is the part of the journey that starts once the customer takes delivery of the vehicle,” said Ravneet Singh Phokela, chief business officer, Ather Energy.

Gurinder Sukhija has more than 24 years of experience in industries like banking, telecomm, infrastructure and transport networks. Before joining Ather, he worked with Ola as senior director & head-customer and partner support operations. He has held previous roles at CMS Infosystems, Transaction Solutions International, Mphasis among others.

“I am delighted to welcome Gurinder (Sukhija) as the Head of Ownership Management,” said Phokela. “Gurinder’s rich experience across industries and functions will be super-useful in helping him take the Ather ownership experience to even greater heights. Functionally speaking, Gurinder will lead the Customer Service, Vehicle Service and Ownership Products verticals.”