Stellantis CEO Carlos Tavares has stepped down due to differences with the board, a news report in the CNN.com (Business) has mentioned. It has also mentioned that Tavares faced criticism for the lack lustre performance of the Group brands – formed with the coming together of FCA and PSA Groups – during the nine months of the current calendar year in the US. 
The announcement of Tavares’ departure comes at a time when popular group brands such as Jeep, Chrysler and Dodge have seen sales drop as the ‘affordable’ models are discontinued under the wake of a ‘lean’ strategy and in what looks like an attempt to elevate the brands to offer premium luxury vehicles. 
In India too, the Jeep vehicles are priced much higher than they may be worthy of. It is no surprise therefore that they are being undercut by Jeep-like vehicles from brands like Mahindra, which costs many million Rupees less. 
Beginning its journey in Mumbai after Independence by assembling Willys CJ3 Jeep under license from Willys Corporation, Mahindra has grown to be a leading utility and SUV vehicles manufacture in India. It has also found a strong footing in export markets of US, Australia and South Africa with its 4x4 vehicles. 
Also failing to extensively refresh or introduce next generation models such as the Compass in India, Jeep is not doing great in India either, the figures indicate. The other brand, Citroen seems to be better positioned and more agile in its ability to learn and adapt to the market requirements in the country. It too is yet to show its prowess to set the sales charts on fire in India.   
Criticised to have taken the lean strategy a bit too far to come back and bite the group where it hurts the most, Tavares’ stepping down comes at a time when dealers across many parts of the world struggle to move the inventory on their lots. 
Several workers laid off at several plants of the group – particularly in the US – have also criticised Tavares for the situation Stellantis got into in that market. 
The situation in other markets is claimed to be not very different either. 
The process to appoint the new permanent CEO is underway with a Special Committee of the Board expected to announce one in the first half of 2025 calendar year, as per the report. A new Interim Executive Committee, chaired by John Elkann, will be established, the report further mentions. 
Global sales volume for the first half of this year fell 10 percent in the case of Stellantis. In the third quarter, it plunged 20 percent. 
With many loyal buyers of Dodge and Jeep vehicles keeping away as the prices have risen way beyond, sales in US have been down by 17 percent in the first nine months of the year. 

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Toyota Kirloskar Motor (TKM), one of the leading passenger vehicle manufacturers, has completed its 37th iCARE (I, Community Action to Reach Everyone) initiative. The project took place at the Government High School in Doddaghollarahatti, Karnataka, to mark National Reading Day 2026.

The event saw 250 volunteers, including TKM employees and their family members, participating in the event. The group refurbished the school library by cataloguing books, assembling furniture and installing signage. Volunteers also contributed books to the library collection.

The initiative aligns with the National Education Policy 2020, which emphasises the role of libraries as learning spaces.

Vikram Gulati, Executive Vice-President, Corporate Affairs and Governance, Toyota Kirloskar Motor, said, "At Toyota, we believe that every child deserves access to spaces that inspire learning and curiosity. A library is often the first place where students discover new ideas, perspectives and opportunities beyond the classroom. Through the 37th iCARE initiative, we have worked to create a more welcoming and engaging environment that encourages students to read, explore and learn. By strengthening access to books and learning resources, we hope to support students in building knowledge, confidence and aspirations that can help shape their future."

Launched in 2017, the iCARE program has involved over 4,500 volunteers across 37 programs, impacting more than 68,800 people. Toyota Kirloskar Motor conducts these activities under its corporate social responsibility (CSR) pillars: education, health and hygiene, environment, skill development, road safety and disaster management.

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Maruti Suzuki India, the country’s largest carmaker, has onboarded five startups – MiniMines, Easework AI, Sarvam AI, Siftly and CodeMate AI, to develop solutions for business operations and customer experience.

The startups were chosen as winners of the fifth cohort of the Maruti Suzuki Incubation Program (MSIP), which is run in partnership with the NSRCEL incubation hub at IIM Bangalore.

Hisashi Takeuchi, Managing Director & CEO, Maruti Suzuki India, said, “At Maruti Suzuki, we have been actively working with startups to co-create innovative and practical solutions to address real business challenges. We are delighted to collaborate with five more startups. One of these startups, MiniMines, will support us in safely recycling end-of-life batteries, while the other four startups will help improve customer engagement and drive efficiency across our business operations.”

Maruti Suzuki has developed programs to support startups in solving business problems. Over seven years, the company has screened 7,400 startups, engaged with 250 and partnered with 38. These programs include the Maruti Suzuki Accelerator, the Maruti Suzuki Incubation Program, the Mobility Challenge, Nurture and FundRays.

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Vietnamese electric vehicle company VinFast, part of Vingroup, is further accelerating its India business plans by strengthening its leadership team.

In fact, VinFast India, which is set to expand its product offerings in the country by introducing electric two-wheelers later this year, has appointed Vineet Srivastava as the Deputy CEO for its e-scooter business.

Srivastava, a sales strategy veteran, joins the Vietnamese company from Honda Motorcycle & Scooter India, where he led enterprise-wide verticals, including Sales Strategy & Planning, Institutional Sales and Retail Finance.

In his over 15-years of relationship with Honda Motorcycle & Scooter India, he was instrumental in onboarding 894 Authorised Secondary Networks and mobilised over INR 2.7 billion in funding for the company.  

Prior to that, he has worked with Kotak Mahindra Old Life Insurance Company, SBI Life Insurance Company and ICICI Prudential Life Insurance Company.

He holds a Bachelor's Degree in Commerce. In his new role, Srivastava will be tasked with developing VinFast India’s e-scooter network, business development, sales operations, promotion and market planning.

While VinFast India currently sells electric passenger vehicles, it is set to introduce electric scooters like its globally popular offerings the Evo, Feliz and Viper.

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Uber has appointed Arpit Tyagi as the Head of Advertising for its Indian operations to further scale its advertising business and expand partnerships with brands, agencies and marketers within the region.

Tyagi will lead the commercial strategy and operations for Uber Advertising in India. He will oversee a dedicated India-based team tasked with developing solutions that allow brands to engage consumers during ‘high-intent, real-world moments’ on the Uber platform.

He brings over 15 years of experience in advertising, media and marketing technology to the role. The executive has extensive experience in retail media, data-driven marketing, and customer-centric innovation at Amazon Ads and he most recently served as Director of Enterprise Sales at The Trade Desk, where he managed strategic partnerships with major Indian advertisers and agencies.

Michael Levine, Head of APAC Sales, Uber Advertising, said, “India is one of the most dynamic and exciting advertising markets in the world, and Uber is uniquely positioned to help brands connect with consumers at moments that matter. Arpit brings a strong understanding of the evolving advertising ecosystem and a proven track record of building high-performing businesses.”

Uber Advertising operates in over 35 markets globally. In India, the business has seen growth across sectors such as CPG, media and entertainment, technology, e-commerce, and retail. To date, the platform has partnered with over 200 brands and agencies in the region.

Tyagi said, “Uber sits at the intersection of people's everyday movements and decisions, creating unique opportunities for brands to engage audiences in highly contextual and measurable ways. I'm excited to join Uber at such a pivotal moment and look forward to working with our partners to help them achieve their business objectives through innovative advertising solutions.”

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