Ravi Kant joined Tata Motors in 2000 as the Executive Director (commercial vehicle business unit). Handpicked for the job by Ratan Tata, he had served in various positions in the past with such diverse companies as Kinetic Engineering Limited, Philips India Limited as director of Consumers Electronics business, LML Limited as senior executive director (marketing) and Titan Watches Limited as Vice President (sales & marketing.)
Completing his schooling from Mayo College, Ajmer, he went on to do his Bachelor in Technology from IIT, Kharagpur and then a Master in Science in Industry from Aston University, Birmingham, UK. He started his career with Hawkins Cookers, consequently collecting a diverse set of experience over a three-decade plus distinguished career in such fields as sales, marketing and consumers electronics business among others.
He joined Tata Motors at a crucial time in its history. The Indica had recently been launched in 1998 and but had an indifferent reception. Tata Motors was in a bad shape financially, its share price dropping from Rs. 322 in the first quarter of 1998 to as low as Rs. 58 in April 2001.
In 2004, he was at the forefront when Tata Motors successfully acquired, first the Korean major – Daewoo truck Business and then the Spanish Hispano Carrocera. Following this, he filled in a position with Tata Motors lying vacant for 11 years when he was made the Managing Director in 2005. During his tenure, Tata Motors went from strength to strength and more significantly became a global corporation. He initiated joint ventures with Fiat and also with Thailand’s Thonburi Automotive Assembly plant. In the recent past, he was at the helm when Tata launched the indigenous inexpensive car Nano which created a sensation worldwide. His crowning achievement was perhaps the Jaguar and Land Rover deal that has the potential to transform Tata Motors in the long run.
He retired on 1st June, 2009 after turning 65 – the mandatory age for retirement from executive positions at the Tata Group and has been retained by the company as the non-executive Vice Chairman of Tata Motors.
Ravi Kant is retiring from this position at a critical point in time in Tata Motor’s history though some people have understandably dubbed it a “promotion” rather than a “retirement”. The situation for Tata Motors is similar to that in 2000 with the current slowdown in the market affecting Tata Motors as deeply as any other company. It will be interesting to see how the new Managing Director, P M Telang, 62 steers Tata Motors into the future. Rajiv Dube continues to head the passenger cars division though from news reports it seems that both Dube and Telang were in the running for the MD position.
As one of the most senior members of the Indian Auto Industry, it is probably safe to say that the Ravi Kant is far from being truly retired. We will be watching his career with keen interest to see what he has up his sleeve next. It would be of interest to see whether he would remain a member of the Tata brain trust or would instead strike out on his own like former Maruti Suzuki Managing Director, Jagdish Khattar who is attempting to transform the dealership portion of India’s auto industry with his Carnation Motors.
