GURPRATAP BOPARAI APPOINTED NEW MANAGING DIRECTOR OF ŠKODA AUTO INDIA PRIVATE LTD.

- New Head of ŠKODA in India with considerable leadership experience in automotive industry;

- India is one of the key markets in ŠKODA AUTO’s growth strategy.

Aurangabad- Škoda Auto India Private Ltd. (SAIPL) has appointed a new Managing Director. As of 2 April 2018, Gurpratap Boparai will be taking over the management of SAIPL. The 48-year-old was most recently CEO of Fiat India Automobile Ltd.

On 2 April 2018 Gurpratap Boparai (48) will be the Managing Director of Skoda Auto India Private Ltd. (SAIPL). In this role, he will be reporting directly to ŠKODA CEO Bernhard Maier. Boparai has many years of experience in the international automotive industry and was most recently CEO of Fiat India Automobiles Ltd.

The Indian market plays an important role in ŠKODA AUTO’s global growth strategy. The Volkswagen Group recently commissioned ŠKODA AUTO to evaluate a global architecture for volume segments with the modular MQB A0 IN system. ŠKODA's strategic approach is to launch this localised platform on the Indian market in 2020 when more stringent crash and emissions standards come into force. ŠKODA also plans to produce competitive volume models for the ŠKODA and Volkswagen brands in India. In the medium term, ŠKODA AUTO aims for sustained, stable growth in India.

Škoda Auto India Private Ltd. currently offers four models on the Indian subcontinent: the OCTAVIA, SUPERB, RAPID and most recently the KODIAQ, which was launched in October 2017. The RAPID is manufactured at the Pune plant, while the OCTAVIA, SUPERB and KODIAQ models are produced in Aurangabad where the company headquarters are located.  ŠKODA vehicles are sold in India at around 70 dealerships and approx. 70 service centres are available to customers.

Komar JOHARI / komarjohari@gmail.com