The BMW Group has announced that the current India head Vikram Pawah will now also head the luxury automaker’s Australian operations. Vikram has now been appointed CEO of BMW Group Australia and will also continue to support Indian operations as its new chairman. 

Pawah, who has been heading the group’s operations in India since January 2017, will take over the Australian and New Zealand businesses from August 1, 2018. He has replaced Frank Schloeder who will assume the position of head of business steering - luxury class at BMW Group, Germany.

Meanwhile, Hans-Christian Baertels, the incumbent director of finance and administration at BMW Group India, will take over responsibility as the new President.

Hildegard Wortmann, Senior Vice-President, Asia Pacific, BMW Group, stated, “Pawah brings excellent preconditions to lead BMW Group operations in India and Australia. Under his leadership, BMW Group India has successfully stood ground in a fiercely competitive environment and gained significant momentum in the Indian luxury car market”.

He added that under Pawah’s leadership, BMW Group India has successfully stood its ground in a fiercely competitive environment and gained significant momentum in the Indian luxury car market.

A commerce and business graduate, prior to BMW, Pawah has held various positions abroad in Honda Marine Australia and at Harley-Davidson India in his automotive career spanning over 25 years.

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