Pawan Munjal

Managing Director & Chief Executive Officer, Hero MotoCorp Limited

HERO MOTOCORP HAVE COME A LONG WAY SINCE they first started out as a company that manufactured bicycles. Today Hero MotoCorp are the biggest twowheeler manufacturers in the world, a meteoric rise from the firm’s modest origins. This rise can be ascribed to the man who has steered the company through its ups and downs since the 1980s, first as a director, then as the MD in 2002 and now as the MD & CEO. During this period he oversaw Hero’s breakaway from Honda and transition to a stand-alone company.

The humble beginnings of Hero MotoCorp go back to a bicycle manufacturing unit which has now grown to the number one spot in India, and, arguably, even the world (by sales). Hero MotoCorp owe this to Pawan Munjal who has been able to retain the top spot even after the famous split with erstwhile partners. Munjal, who is a mechanical engineer, leads from the front, personally overseeing all major developments within the company. He also holds a position in the World Economic Forum, has chaired multiple Confederation of Indian Industry (CII) committees on subjects as diverse as technology and innovation, and environment and sport, and is also a member of the Society of Indian Automobile Manufacturers’ (SIAM) committee on two- and three-wheelers.

In this past year alone, Munjal and Hero have established a massive new R&D facility in Rajasthan, launched new products in the form of the Duet and Maestro Edge on a freshly developed platform, and are gearing up for more. Away from the boardroom, Munjal is an avid golfer, so much so that he has made persistent efforts in raising the profile of this sport in India.