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Hero MotoCorp on Monday appointed Harshavardhan Chitale as its next chief executive officer, effective January 5, 2026, underscoring the company’s intent to strengthen its play in electric mobility and premium motorcycles at a time of intense competition in the twowheeler market.

Chitale, 55, will take over from Vikram Kasbekar, who has been serving as interim CEO since May this year following the departure of Niranjan Gupta. Kasbekar will return to his dual role as executive director and chief technology officer, focusing on innovation and product development.

Hero faces shrinking dominance in twowheeler market

The timing of this transition is critical. The twowheeler market is being reshaped by the rapid adoption of electric vehicles, the emergence of techdriven business models, and growing demand for premium offerings. Hero, long the market leader, has seen its dominance erode in recent years. Data from the Federation of Automobile Dealers Associations shows Honda Motorcycle & Scooter India overtook Hero in August retail sales by nearly 4%. Over the last decade, Hero’s market share has slid from 40% to 29%, while Honda has climbed to 27%, leaving the gap at just a few hundred thousand units.

Executive chairman Pawan Munjal sees Chitale’s arrival as a turning point in this shifting landscape. “Harsh’s outstanding track record in driving growth, fostering innovation, and leading global transformation makes him the ideal leader for Hero MotoCorp at this pivotal moment,” Munjal said. He emphasised that the new CEO will be tasked with accelerating Hero’s push into electric mobility, digitalisation, sustainability, and premiumisation, areas seen as vital for defending market share and building longterm growth.

Chitale brings global transformation expertise

Chitale brings deep global experience spanning industrial automation, IT, lighting, and digital transformation. An IIT Delhi alumnus and recipient of the director’s gold medal, he has also invested in startups across EVs, clean energy, healthtech, and agritech. Most recently, he served as global CEO of Signify’s €4 billion professional business, overseeing 12,000 employees across 70 countries and doubling profitability while launching more than 100 products annually. In India, he previously led Philips Lighting through its transition into a standalone public company and has also held senior roles at HCL Infosystems and Honeywell Automation India.

Hero said Chitale will work closely with Kasbekar over the coming months to ensure a smooth handover as the company prepares for its next phase of transformation.