Chief Marketing Officer - Automotive

Key Responsibilities:

Marketing Leadership:

- Define and execute the overall corporate and brand marketing strategy, positioning the company as a preferred Tier-1 partner to global and domestic OEMs.

- Lead B2B marketing efforts - technical capability showcases, RFQ/pitch collateral, trade show and industry event presence (e.g., Auto Expo, ACMA events), and thought leadership.

- Drive market research and competitive intelligence on the auto components landscape, OEM sourcing trends, and EV/e-mobility shifts to guide business strategy.

- Oversee corporate communications, digital presence, investor-facing brand messaging (given listed entity status), and PR.

- Manage the marketing budget and ROI tracking across all brand-building and demand-generation activities.

- Build and strengthen the company's brand equity with OEMs, Tier-1 peers, and industry bodies in India and export markets (Europe, Japan, Southeast Asia, etc.).

- Partner with Engineering/R&D and Product teams to translate technical capabilities (metal, polymer, suspension, e-mobility) into compelling customer-facing value propositions.

Business Development:

- Own the OEM account acquisition strategy - identifying, pursuing, and converting new OEM customers across two-wheeler, three-wheeler, four-wheeler, and commercial vehicle segments.

- Deepen and expand share-of-wallet with existing OEM accounts (e.g., Bajaj Auto, Hero MotoCorp, Honda, Tata Motors, JLR, Royal Enfield) through cross-selling across product lines.

- Lead RFQ/sourcing engagement, commercial negotiations, and long-term supply agreement discussions with OEM procurement and sourcing teams.

- Identify and structure new business opportunities - joint ventures, technology licensing/transfer agreements, and strategic partnerships (particularly in EV components, hub motors, batteries, and e-mobility).

- Drive export market expansion and new geography entry, building relationships with international OEMs and Tier-1 partners.

- Build the business case, market sizing, and ROI models for new business lines and capacity investments.

- Represent the company at industry forums (ACMA, SIAM), government/regulatory engagements, and strategic alliance discussions.

- Collaborate closely with Sales, Program Management, Finance, and Legal to structure and close BD deals and long-term OEM contracts.

- Track industry trends (EV transition, powertrain-agnostic component demand, regulatory shifts) to identify white-space opportunities for the company.

Leadership & Cross-Functional:

- Build, mentor, and scale a high-performing Marketing and BD organization.

- Act as a key member of the executive leadership team, contributing to overall corporate strategy.

- Partner closely with Sales, Product, Engineering, Finance, and Aftersales leadership to ensure alignment between brand promise, product delivery, and commercial execution.

- Present strategy, performance, and BD pipeline updates to the Board/CEO on a regular cadence.

Required Qualifications:

- Bachelor's degree in Engineering, or related field; MBA strongly preferred.

- 25+ years of overall progressive experience in marketing and/or business development, with a significant portion in senior leadership roles.

- 8+ years of mandatory experience working directly with OEMs in the automotive sector (passenger vehicles, commercial vehicles, two-wheelers, or auto components supplying to OEMs) - this is a non-negotiable requirement.

- Proven track record of leading brand strategy and vehicle launch campaigns at scale.

- Demonstrated success in structuring and closing business development deals - partnerships, JVs, distribution agreements, or market entry initiatives.

- Strong understanding of the automotive value chain: product planning, dealer networks, aftersales, and evolving mobility/EV trends.

- Experience managing large marketing budgets and cross-functional teams.

- Excellent negotiation, stakeholder management, and executive communication skills.

Preferred Qualifications:

- Experience in a Tier-1 auto components or auto ancillary company, with direct exposure to OEM sourcing/procurement cycles.

- Experience with EV or e-mobility components (batteries, motors, controllers) go-to-market and partnership strategy.

- Exposure to international market expansion, export operations, or global OEM relationships.

- Existing network of relationships with OEM procurement/sourcing leadership, industry bodies (ACMA/SIAM), and strategic partners.

- Experience operating within a listed company environment, including investor/stakeholder-facing communication.