Boeing has appointed Sarma Chillara as executive director of human resources for India and South Asia, the aerospace company announced.
Chillara will oversee Boeing’s HR operations across the region, focusing on organisational capability, workforce development, and strengthening an inclusive, high-performance culture. He succeeds Ajay Sharma, who has moved to a new role as executive director of HR for Boeing Europe, Israel and Ukraine, and HR business partner for Global Engineering.
Salil Gupte, president of Boeing India and South Asia, said Chillara’s “diverse industry experience and strategic approach to people leadership” will be instrumental in advancing the company’s regional ambitions. “His leadership will help shape a future-ready workforce and talent strategy that supports the evolving needs of India’s aerospace and defence sector,” Gupte said in a company statement.
Chillara joins Boeing from Škoda Auto Volkswagen India, where he spent more than 13 years and served as a member of the board for human resources. He has close to two decades of experience across the automotive, banking, consulting, and retail sectors.
Boeing said the appointment underscores its commitment to safety, quality, and talent development, as it continues expanding engineering, manufacturing, and supply chain operations in India. Chillara will play a key role in driving workforce capability and embedding Boeing’s values of accountability, transparency, and collaboration across its regional teams.
Chillara holds an MBA in human resources from Welingkar Institute of Management and has completed executive programmes at the Wharton School and the University of Michigan. He also serves on advisory boards for Mahindra International School and Welingkar Institute’s HR programme.
Boeing employs nearly 7,000 people in India and works with over 325 local suppliers, generating more than $1.25 billion in annual sourcing from the country. The company has expanded its manufacturing presence through joint ventures producing fuselages for Apache helicopters and vertical fins for the 737 aircraft family.
As Boeing deepens its regional footprint, the leadership transition marks a continued focus on developing local talent pipelines and reinforcing the firm’s human capital strategy across South Asia.