INDIA’S leading car maker Tata Motors said yesterday it had appointed the former head of General Motors’ European operations as its chief executive officer.
Carl-Peter Forster would have “overall responsibility” for Tata Motors’ global operations, including its British-based Jaguar and Land Rover manufacturers, the company said in a statement.
“Tata Motors expects that Mr Forster’s induction will greatly facilitate its ambition towards being a truly international company,” said Ratan Tata, chairman of Tata Motors’ parent Tata group.
Tata Motors recently announced it had swung back to profit in the fiscal quarter to December after posting heavy losses following its $2.3bn (£1.5bn) 2008 acquisition of luxury car marques Jaguar and Land Rover.
At 55, Forster has 24 years of international experience in the car industry, Tata said. Most recently he was the head of General Motors Europe, where he was responsible for Opel/Vauxhall, Saab and the European activities of Chevrolet.
Tata Motors’ main business is commercial vehicles such as trucks but it also manufactures cars including the Nano, dubbed the world’s cheapest car.
