Mumbai: Castrol India has announced the appointment of Kedar Lele as its new managing director, effective 1 November 2024.
Kedar joins Castrol India after an illustrious two-decade-long career at Hindustan Unilever (HUL), where he last served as the executive director of the company, responsible for sales & customer development, South Asia. With his deep expertise in leading high-performing teams, driving growth, and fostering innovation, Kedar is set to play a pivotal role in steering Castrol India’s future in the evolving automotive and lubricants industry.
Castrol India chairman Rakesh Makhija said, “We are delighted to welcome Kedar to Castrol India. His vast experience in driving growth and leading large teams in complex markets makes him an outstanding choice to lead Castrol India. I would also like to take this opportunity to thank Sandeep for his exceptional leadership over the past few years. His contributions have been invaluable in strengthening our position in the market, and we wish him success in his new global role.”
Lele said, “Castrol is a widely recognised brand in the lubricants industry, and I am very excited to lead Castrol India in its next leg of growth and transformation. A key priority for me will be to continue to expand our portfolio coupled with effective deployment models to drive business growth. We will continue to use our trusted brand, innovative product portfolio and cutting-edge technology to stay at the forefront of India’s mobility sector. My experience of working with different categories and geographies has prepared me well to build winning teams while cultivating a spirit of innovation and discipline of execution excellence that aligns with Castrol’s ambitious growth plans.”
To ensure a smooth leadership transition, Kedar has been collaborating with outgoing managing director Sandeep Sangwan since 1 September 2024. This period has enabled Kedar to gain insights into the company’s operations and build relationships with key stakeholders.
Sandeep will take on the role of global chief marketing officer at Castrol’s headquarters in London starting 1 November 2024.
With Kedar leading in India, Castrol is positioned for ongoing success in the region. The company remains focused on maintaining its market position, driving innovation, and creating value for its stakeholders.
Mumbai: Castrol India Ltd, lubricant manufacturer, in association with TV9 Network, announces the ‘Castrol CRB TURBOMAX Pragati Ki Paathshaala’ initiative, building on the ethos of its latest campaign ‘#BadhteRahoAagey’. This purpose-led initiative aims to spur entrepreneurial zeal and enhance the professional competencies of truck drivers across India with an on-ground planned reach to over 100,000 truckers. In a show of support, Nitin Gadkari union minister of road transport and highways of India, launched the campaign by unveiling the logo, along with Castrol India Ltd managing director Sandeep Sangwan, and TV9 Network chief growth officer (Broadcasting & Digital) Raktim Das.
In its first phase ‘Castrol CRB TURBOMAX Pragati Ki Paathshala’ will embark on a two-and-a-half-month journey on two specially designed trucks taking different routes covering all four regions across India. The enroute journey will engage truck drivers in interactive, on-ground Paathshaalas across planned Transport Nagars on their way. The knowledge sessions have been curated to upskill truckers around four key aspects—Driving Safety, Truck Ownership, New Technology and Business Profitability—empowering them to #BadhteRahoAagey.
Appreciating the initiative, Nitin Gadkari, union minister of road transport and highways, said, “The road ministry of India is committed to ensuring the safety, well-being and progress of truck drivers by undertaking multiple initiatives. The Government has built state-of-the-art expressways and enacted laws to curb road accidents, but lack of fear and discipline among motorists is a huge challenge. I congratulate Castrol India for launching Pragati Ki Paathshaala’ which is a step towards building awareness and encouraging truckers to #BadhteRahoAagey.”
Castrol India managing director Sandeep Sangwan stated, “The trucking community has always been an integral part of Castrol India, and we have been continuously striving to ensure their safety and livelihood through various transformative initiatives. ‘Castrol CRB TURBOMAX Pragati Ki Paathshaala’ is a purpose-led programme through which we aim to reach more than 100,000 truckers on-ground across India, upskilling over 10,000 truck drivers with live Paathshaalas enabling them to #BadhteRahoAagey. We are humbled by the encouragement from Shri Nitin Gadkari, as he himself has steered initiatives to ensure the safety and well-being of truck drivers over the years. His show of support vindicates our commitment to improving the lives of India’s trucking community.”
Highlighting the challenges of the trucking community and the benefits availed through the initiative, Sangwan added, “More than 50 per cent of India’s truckers operate in unorganised
fleets or as individual owners. The programme aims to boost their entrepreneurial mindset and directs them towards the path of progress – bringing alive the idea of #BadhteRahoAagey.”
Bollywood actor Sonu Sood, well-known for his earnest altruism in helping the common man, has come on board to endorse the noble cause as the campaign ambassador for ‘Castrol CRB TURBOMAX Pragati Ki Paathshaala’. He will pay tribute to the often-unsung trucking community for their selfless service and encourage them to #BadhteRahoAagey.
“I salute our unsung heroes of the transportation industry – the truck drivers – for their relentless hard work. ‘Castrol CRB TURBOMAX Pragati Ki Paathshaala’ will help truck drivers equip themselves with the skills and expertise to progress in life. I wish them luck on their journey to a brighter future and would like to tell them ‘Pragati ki Paathsaala ke saath #BadhteRahoAagey,” Sonu Sood, said.
TV9 Network, which has been championing the cause of truck drivers through multiple campaigns, is again at the forefront of empowering this often-neglected community. Commenting on the partnership, Mr Raktim Das, Chief Growth Officer (Broadcasting & Digital), TV9 Network, said: “Truck drivers literally keep the wheels of India’s economy moving but they are rarely accorded any recognition and promise of a better life. As India’s No. 1 news network, we deeply care about people and their progress. Our association with Castrol CRB Turbomax for the pathbreaking Pragati Ki Paathshaala campaign shows our unwavering commitment to the empowerment of our truck drivers. We believe a skilled truck driver will steer the country on the path of progress.”
Talking about the social cause initiative, he added: “Upskilling of truck drivers assumes importance, especially in the backdrop of India’s automotive space witnessing a rapid transformation. Truck drivers also need to constantly hone and upgrade their skills. This campaign aims to provide them with the essential knowledge and guidance needed for success and growth.”
Mumbai: Castrol, India’s premier lubricant manufacturer, has onboarded Rohit Talwar as vice president and head of marketing, effective 1 November 2023. Talwar will succeed Jaya Jamrani in this role, who has decided to take a one-year sabbatical.
Talwar will be responsible for steering Castrol’s comprehensive marketing strategies to deliver growth and value for our customers and shareholders. He will also join the Castrol India Leadership Team.
Talwar brings with him a wealth of experience, possessing 21 years of proficiency in leading high-performance multicultural teams across various levels and assignments, locally and globally. His distinguished career spans both developed and growth markets within the Castrol group.
Talwar’s journey with Castrol India commenced in June 2004 when he joined as a management trainee. Over the years, he has made significant contributions to the brand’s growth in diverse roles, including sales manager, bikes brand manager, and cricket sponsorship activation manager. Talwar notably served as the global brand manager in the commercial vehicles category, where he played a pivotal role in the development and launch of the internationally acclaimed Castrol VECTON brand.
In 2017, Talwar returned to Castrol India Limited, where he held prominent positions such as head of brand and communication and deputy vice president of marketing for India.
Since 2019, Talwar has been leading marketing for Castrol Vietnam. In this capacity, he has overseen both B2C and B2B marketing initiatives, driving innovation and delivering substantial business growth in the Vietnamese market.
Castrol India wishes to express its heartfelt gratitude to Jaya Jamrani for her invaluable contributions during her tenure as vice president and head of marketing. Jamrani has decided to take a well-deserved sabbatical in line with bp’s flexible working policy.
Castrol India managing director Sandeep Sangwan states, “Rohit’s wealth of experience, unwavering commitment, and exemplary track record within the Castrol family perfectly align with the demands of this role. We are assured that his leadership will further elevate our marketing endeavors and contribute significantly to our continued success.”
Talwar conveyed his enthusiasm for his new role, saying, “I am deeply honored to accept this appointment and eagerly anticipate rejoining the Castrol India team. I look forward to collaborating closely with our exceptionally talented team to propel our marketing initiatives to new heights and further uphold Castrol’s legacy of excellence.”
Talwar holds a Science degree from the University of Mumbai and an MBA in marketing from ISB, Hyderabad.
Mumbai: Castrol India has elevated Jaya Jamrani as vice president – marketing, effective from 1 January 2021 to lead the company’s marketing functions in India.
In her new role, Jamrani will lead the marketing strategy for India across business segments, including forging strategic partnerships for growth.
Jamrani has spent over a decade across various verticals in Castrol both in India and globally, after a stint with Unilever. Her broad-based experience and understanding of changing consumer needs has helped her lead some iconic campaigns for Castrol like the Castrol CRB Truck Aasana and Castrol Super Mechanic, drive successful media and content partnerships including Castrol Activ Scooter Girl in the City and Castrol Power1 Roadies as well as steer strategic associations like the Castrol-3M collaboration.
Jaya Jamrani said, “I am humbled by this opportunity to lead marketing for the iconic 100-year young brand that is Castrol. The future promises to be just as exciting as we continue on our transformation agenda with the evolution of lubricants usage and shifts in attitudes towards mobility and convenience.”
Castrol India managing director Sandeep Sangwan said, “I am delighted to welcome Jaya as the vice president – marketing for the India business. Along with her strong knowledge of our business and proven ability to drive results, Jaya can be credited with some of our successful purpose-led marketing and influencer-advocacy campaigns in the recent past. I look forward to her contributions as we aim to strengthen our position as a leading lubricants brand in the Indian market and drive the Castrol brand to newer heights pivoting from products to integrated solutions.”
