Heads roll, not wheels in truck market as sales fall - Times of India

The author has posted comments on this articleNandini Sen Gupta, TNN | Apr 25, 2014, 01.25AM IST

CHENNAI: The sales slump in the truck and bus sales is beginning to take its toll on the senior management of truck makers. Close on the heels of the exit of the Daimler India Commercial Vehicle (DICV) marketing head comes the buzz that Ashok Leyland is all set to see some churn in its upper echelons.

Sources in the industry say that Nitin Seth, executive director-LCV sales, marketing and defense may be on his way out. If it happens, it will be just over a month after the sudden exit of V Sumantran, the company's former vice chairman who stepped down mid March.

When contacted, the Ashok Leyland spokesman said in an email reply: "This is pure speculation and without any basis." However the commercial vehicle vendor and dealer circuit is abuzz with rumours that Seth, Sumantran's colleague in Tata Motors befor e he joined Ashok Leyland, is facing the heat because of the pressure on sales on ALL's truck products including those under its joint venture with Nissan.

If Seth's departure is announced it will be the second top level movement in the industry this month. Earlier this week, DICV announced the departure of VRV Sriprasad, vice president- marketing, sales and after-sales with effect from May 1, 2014. The company announced that R Ramesh who was hitherto AVP - aftersales will take-over as head -aftersales & exports and V Sreeram, who was hitherto AVP - sales will take-over as head - domestic sales, product management & network both reporting to the MD. Sriprasad had been associated with DICV since 2008.

Earlier DICV had announced that Marc Llistosella, currently MD & CEO had been promoted to head of marketing, sales & after-sales, Trucks Asia & DICV and will move to Tokyo reporting in to Albert Kirchmann, head of Daimler Trucks Asia. Erich Nesselhauf, currently VP, supply chain management at DICV will replace Listosella as the MD & CEO in India.

The top level churn isn't restricted to DICV or Ashok Leyland alone. Tata Motor s, the market leader in the CV segment, has also seen senior executive movements in recent months. Alok Singh, who was with Tata Group company Jaguar and Land Rover, has been made the new plant head at the company's Pantnagar unit in Uttrakhand while Lucknow plant head Alok Saxena has been moved to Pune as vice-president, purchasing, under BB Parik. A few months ago, Rajnish Julka was moved in from the Pantnagar unit as the Lucknow plant's new manufacturing head where production has been cut back due to the slowdown.

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