Tata Motors’ Shailesh Chandra Elected as First Indian President of OICA

In a landmark moment for India’s automotive industry, Shailesh Chandra, Managing Director and CEO of Tata Motors Passenger Vehicles Ltd., has been elected President of the Organisation Internationale des Constructeurs d’Automobiles (OICA) — the world body representing global automobile manufacturers. His appointment, effective November 1, 2025, marks the first time an Indian has taken the top position at OICA.

Chandra succeeds John Bozzella, President and CEO of the Alliance for Automotive Innovation (USA). His election underscores the organization’s growing global inclusivity and India’s rising influence in the global mobility landscape.

“This is an honour not just for me but for India’s automotive community,” Chandra said in a statement. “As the global industry transitions toward sustainable mobility and pursues ‘Net Zero’ goals in alignment with government visions worldwide, OICA’s role becomes increasingly critical. We must embrace the diversity of every region while working collectively to make vehicles more aspirational, safer, and environmentally friendly.”

A seasoned professional with over two decades of experience at Tata Motors, Chandra is also the Managing Director of Tata Passenger Electric Mobility Ltd. A Mechanical Engineering graduate from IIT Varanasi, he holds an Executive MBA from SP Jain Institute of Management and Research and completed a Fulbright-Nehru Fellowship at Carnegie Mellon University, USA.

Chandra has been widely credited with steering the turnaround of Tata Motors’ passenger vehicle business and leading the company’s charge in electric mobility. His contributions to India’s EV ecosystem have earned him accolades, including Man of the Year 2020 by Autocar Professional and Automobile CEO of the Year by TopGear.

In the same announcement, OICA also confirmed the election of Hildegard Müller, President of the Verband der Automobilindustrie (VDA), as Vice President. Müller brings deep experience spanning industry, government, and energy sectors. A graduate of Heinrich-Heine-Universität Düsseldorf, she previously served as Minister of State to the German Chancellor and Chairwoman of the German Association of Energy and Water Industries (BDEW).

Since taking charge of the VDA in 2020, Müller has guided Germany’s automotive industry through rapid shifts in electrification, global trade, and competitiveness.

Established in 1919, OICA represents 36 national associations of motor vehicle manufacturers across all continents. The Paris-based body advocates for the global auto industry on issues such as mobility, safety, environmental sustainability, and economic policy. It also plays a key role in formulating harmonized technical regulations through its work with the United Nations World Forum for Harmonization of Vehicle Regulations (UNECE WP.29) and maintains global statistics on vehicle production and sales.

With Chandra at the helm, OICA is expected to strengthen international collaboration and accelerate efforts toward sustainable and inclusive mobility worldwide — a step that places India firmly at the centre of the global automotive conversation.