BWM taps Hardeep Singh Brar as India president and CEO

BMW Group has announced the appointment of Hardeep Singh Brar as president and chief executive officer (CEO) of its India operations, effective 1 September.

Brar succeeds Vikram Pawah, who will take over as CEO of BMW Group Australia and New Zealand after helming the company in India for several years.

Confirming the leadership transition, Jean-Philippe Parain, senior vice-president for the Asia-Pacific, Eastern Europe, Middle East, and Africa regions at BMW Group, said the company sees India as one of its fastest-growing markets and a key pillar in its regional strategy.

“Hardeep Singh Brar brings vast expertise and a deep understanding of the Indian automotive landscape to lead this dynamic market and strengthen BMW Group’s operations here. We thank Vikram Pawah for his immense contribution to the strategic growth of BMW Group India and his decisive role in its recent development,” Parain said in a statement.

Brar, a seasoned automotive executive with over three decades of experience, joins BMW Group India after serving as senior vice-president of sales and marketing at Kia India.

He has held senior roles across marquee brands including Maruti Suzuki, Volkswagen, General Motors, Nissan, and Great Wall Motor, managing functions spanning sales, marketing, network development, customer experience, and corporate strategy.

Brar holds a degree in mechanical engineering from Thapar Institute of Engineering and Technology and is an alumnus of Harvard Business School’s Senior Executive Leadership Program.

Pawah has been with BMW Group since 2017, overseeing the company’s growth in India and later Australia, before returning to India in 2020.

Under his leadership, BMW Group India sharpened its focus on expanding market share through new opportunities and target groups, and advancing electric mobility, digitalization, and customer-centric retail experiences.

BMW Group India, headquartered in Gurugram, operates with a manufacturing plant in Chennai, a regional distribution centre in Pune, and a dealer network spanning more than 80 touchpoints across the country.

It locally assembles 10 BMW models and markets premium brands including MINI and BMW Motorrad, alongside its core BMW lineup.

Brar’s appointment comes at a time when BMW Group India is seeing record growth, with the company reporting its highest-ever half-year car deliveries in the first six months of 2025, including a sharp uptick in sales of electric vehicles.

As he takes charge in September, Brar will be tasked with building on this momentum and steering the company’s next phase of growth in an increasingly competitive luxury automotive market.

BMW Group, founded in 1916 and headquartered in Munich, is one of the world’s leading manufacturers of premium automobiles and motorcycles, with global brands including BMW, MINI, Rolls-Royce, and BMW Motorrad.

The company operates production and assembly facilities in 15 countries and maintains a sales network in over 140 markets worldwide.