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JK Tyre & Industries Ltd has confirmed the resignation of Anuj Kathuria, President of its India operations, effective 14 February 2025. The company disclosed the development in a regulatory filing, stating that Kathuria’s departure was due to personal reasons.
Kathuria, who joined JK Tyre in 2021, brought over three decades of experience in the automotive sector. His leadership played a key role in the company’s premiumization strategy, particularly in larger rim-size passenger car radial (PCR) tyres. His tenure saw successful new product launches, cost reduction initiatives, and strategic expansions, contributing to strong profitability in the second quarter of FY 2024, supported by lower commodity costs.
Before joining JK Tyre, Kathuria held key leadership roles at Ashok Leyland, where he served as Chief Operating Officer for the Medium and Heavy Commercial Vehicle (MHCV) business. Under his leadership, Ashok Leyland recorded 150,000 vehicle sales in 2017 and achieved the prestigious Deming Prize in 2016 and 2017. He was also instrumental in launching the BS VI-compliant Modular Range of Trucks.
His experience extends to Tata Motors and Tata Daewoo in Korea, where he led the launch of the Prima truck range for global markets.
Beyond corporate roles, Kathuria has been an active voice in the industry, representing organisations such as the Confederation of Indian Industry (CII), Society of Indian Automobile Manufacturers (SIAM), and Automotive Component Manufacturers Association of India (ACMA).
He holds an engineering degree from BITS Sindri, an MBA from XLRI Jamshedpur, and has completed the Advanced Management Program (AMP) at Harvard Business School.
Kathuria’s resignation comes at a crucial time for JK Tyre, as the company pushes ahead with its ₹1,025 crore investment plan aimed at boosting manufacturing capacity. The expansion is expected to increase production capacity by 19.45%, with a strong focus on PCR tyres. Currently, the company is operating at 95% capacity utilisation.
Founded in 1951, JK Tyre is one of India’s largest tyre manufacturers, operating 12 plants across India and Mexico with an annual production capacity of over 35 million tyres. The company has a wide distribution network of 6,000+ dealers and 650+ brand shops.
As the company undergoes this leadership transition, industry stakeholders will be watching how JK Tyre navigates its growth strategy and maintains its competitive edge in the evolving tyre market.
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