Tata Motors , one of India's leading automotive manufacturers, has announced significant changes to its leadership team, marking a new chapter in the company's strategic direction.

Key Leadership Changes

Tata Motors has appointed Shailesh Chandra as the new Additional Director, Managing Director, and CEO of the company, effective October 1, 2025. Chandra, who is currently the joint Managing Director for Tata Motors Passenger Vehicles Limited and Tata Passenger Electric Mobility Limited, brings a wealth of experience to his new role. His appointment is for a period of three years, subject to shareholder approval.

In another crucial move, P B Balaji, the current Group Chief Financial Officer, will step down from his position effective November 17, 2025. Balaji is set to take on a new role as the Chief Executive Officer of Jaguar Land Rover Automotive Plc, UK, a material subsidiary of Tata Motors.

Filling the vacancy left by Balaji, Dhiman Gupta has been named as the new Chief Financial Officer and Key Managerial Personnel of Tata Motors, also effective from November 17, 2025. Gupta is currently serving as the Chief Financial Officer and Key Managerial Personnel of Tata Passenger Electric Mobility Limited.

Board Restructuring

The company has also announced changes to its Board of Directors:

• Three Non-Executive Independent Directors - Ms. Hanne Sorensen, Mr. Kosaraju Veerayya Chowdary, and Mr. Guenter Karl Butschek - will be stepping down from their roles.
• Ms. Sudha Krishnan has been appointed as an Additional, Non-Executive Independent Director for a tenure of five years, commencing from October 1, 2025, subject to shareholder approval.
• P B Balaji will join the Board of Tata Motors as an Additional, Non-Executive, Non-Independent Director, effective November 17, 2025, subject to shareholder approval.

Strategic Implications

These leadership changes come at a crucial time for Tata Motors, as the company is in the midst of a significant restructuring. The company recently received approval from the National Company Law Tribunal for a Composite Scheme of Arrangement that will see the demerger of its Commercial Vehicles business into TML Commercial Vehicles Limited, while consolidating its Passenger Vehicles business.

Shailesh Chandra, in his new role, will be tasked with steering Tata Motors through this transition and capitalizing on the growing opportunities in the passenger vehicle and electric mobility sectors. His experience in heading the company's electric mobility business and corporate strategy is expected to be particularly valuable in this regard.

The appointment of Dhiman Gupta as CFO, with his background in treasury, investor relations, and mergers and acquisitions, signals the company's focus on financial strategy and potential market opportunities.

These leadership changes reflect Tata Motors' commitment to aligning its top management with its evolving business strategy, as it seeks to strengthen its position in both the commercial and passenger vehicle segments, with a particular emphasis on electric mobility.

Tata Motors Limited's stock performance and operational challenges have come into focus recently, with the company facing a complex mix of domestic policy changes and international setbacks.

Stock Performance and JLR Recovery

Tata Motors' shares gained 2% to Rs 677.00 after Jaguar Land Rover (JLR) announced a phased restart of operations following a cyberattack that halted production for almost a month. This positive movement comes after the stock had declined over 6% in the previous four sessions due to cyberattack concerns.

Market Expert Insights

Market expert Sandip Sabharwal addressed concerns about Tata Motors following the cyber attack on its JLR operations. He stated that the impact occurred earlier and the company reports stabilizing conditions. Sabharwal noted that Tata Motors has underperformed compared to other auto stocks, but potential GST cuts on vehicles in India and improving JLR prospects through the US-UK trade pact could provide support. He believes the stock is moving into value territory rather than sell-off levels.

JLR Cyberattack and Recovery

JLR, which accounts for 70-75% of Tata Motors' consolidated revenue, has made significant progress in its recovery efforts:

• Successfully restored critical systems, including:
  1. Financial system for vehicle wholesale processing
  2. Global Parts Logistics Centre returning to full operations
• Increased IT processing capacity for invoicing to clear supplier payment backlogs
• Sections of its digital systems are now operational

Despite these efforts, challenges remain:

• Production shutdowns extended until October 1
• Estimated impact includes revenue loss of £300-400 million
• Additional indirect costs of £50-100 million, potentially creating a 1-2% drag on Tata Motors' EBITDA

Market Concerns and Company Response

In response to market speculation, Tata Motors had previously issued a clarification to stock exchanges. Maloy Kumar Gupta, Company Secretary of Tata Motors, stated, "We will disclose all material developments in connection with the aforesaid IT security incidence in JLR."

Additional Challenges and Opportunities

Beyond the cyberattack, JLR faces other pressures:

• US market challenges, including potential Trump tariffs (23% of JLR's 400,000 global units sold in America)
• Analysts project moderate 5% revenue growth due to:
  • Muted JLR volume growth
  • Discontinuation of Jaguar models
  • China market share losses
  • US tariff implications

Regarding H-1B visa debates and potential GCC opportunities, Sabharwal advised caution due to dynamic news flow and uncertainty about next steps, particularly for US-exposed companies.

Defence Stocks Outlook

Sabharwal highlighted strong long-term visibility for defence stocks but warned about stretched valuations. Key points include:

• Bharat Electronics remains the most credible government-owned defence play
• Companies like HAL and shipyard firms benefit from both domestic ship-building demand and defence orders
• These defence companies offer growth visibility for 5-10 years, unlike most other industries
• Investors should wait for market corrections to take positions

Looking Ahead

As JLR continues its recovery process, the focus remains on fully restoring its IT infrastructure and minimizing operational impacts. The company's ability to navigate these challenges, particularly the JLR cyberattack recovery and potential US market pressures, will be crucial in determining its future performance and stock trajectory.

Despite the recent 2% gain, Tata Motors' stock performance remains influenced by JLR's dominance in its revenue mix and the ongoing recovery from the cyberattack. Investors will be closely monitoring the situation as JLR works to fully resume operations and mitigate the financial impact of the incident.