Hero MotoCorp appointed Harshavardhan Chitale as chief executive officer, the company said Monday, setting a leadership change that takes effect Jan. 5, 2026 after board approval. The world’s largest motorcycle and scooter maker by volume announced the move in a stock-exchange filing and accompanying press release.
The operative decision: Chitale becomes CEO on Jan. 5, 2026. With his appointment, acting CEO Vikram Kasbekar will relinquish that interim role and continue on the board as executive director and chief technology officer, according to the filing. The company said Kasbekar will work with the incoming chief to ensure a smooth handover.
“Harsh’s outstanding track record in driving growth” makes him the “ideal leader for Hero MotoCorp at this pivotal moment,” Executive Chairman Pawan Munjal said in prepared remarks, adding that the CEO’s agenda includes electric and other new mobility initiatives, premiumization, digitalization, and sustainability.
The board framed the appointment as part of a broader push to accelerate product and technology plans.
Transition and timing
The company disclosed the appointment in line with India’s listing requirements and gave a four-month runway to the transition. Hero said the effective date is Monday, Jan. 5, 2026, providing time for onboarding and for continuity across product development and operations led by Kasbekar as CTO.
The filing emphasized that Kasbekar’s relinquishment of acting-CEO duties is automatic upon Chitale’s start date.
Hero told investors and employees that the change is designed to align leadership with near-term execution priorities. Those priorities include expanding in electric two-wheelers, refreshing its premium motorcycle lineup, and pushing digital capabilities across manufacturing, supply chain, and customer engagement, areas the company highlighted in Monday’s press note.
Who is Harshavardhan Chitale
Chitale most recently served as global CEO of Signify’s €4 billion professional lighting business, where he led about 12,000 employees across 70 countries and oversaw manufacturing, supply chain, product development, and digital programs. Under his stewardship, that unit doubled profitability and launched more than 100 products annually, the company said.
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Prior roles include vice chairman and managing director of Philips Lighting India, where he executed the spin-off into a standalone public company and consolidated market leadership, and top posts at HCL Infosystems and Honeywell Automation India.
An alumnus of the Indian Institute of Technology, Delhi, and a recipient of the Director’s Gold Medal, Chitale has also been an active angel investor in electric vehicles, clean energy, health-tech, and agri-tech, experience that dovetails with Hero’s electrification and new-mobility ambitions.
Hero said his leadership style is regarded for execution discipline and an ability to engage both frontline teams and boardrooms, a mix the board expects to be useful as the company scales newer businesses while defending share in its core commuter segment.
Hero’s CEO shift lands as the company is trying to build a larger presence in electric scooters while moving upmarket in premium motorcycles, areas where rivals have pressed advantages.
With Chitale’s background in running a global industrial tech portfolio and managing complex supply chains, the board is betting leadership experience will translate to faster decision-making in product, software, and go-to-market.
The message to investors in Monday’s disclosures was continuity on engineering and operations with Kasbekar, alongside a mandate for the new chief to accelerate growth and shareholder returns.
