Škoda Auto Volkswagen India Appoints Karishhma Kumar as CIO

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January 2026 : In a move that signals a sharpened focus on "business-led" technology, Škoda Auto Volkswagen India Pvt. Ltd. (SAVWIPL) has officially transitioned seasoned digital leader Karishhma Kumar into the role of Chief Information Officer.

Since stepping in, Kumar’s focus has been intensely business-led, ensuring that technology enables scale and informed decision-making across the group’s complex manufacturing footprint. Under her leadership, SAVWIPL is expected to double down on Industry 4.0 adoption and data-intelligent systems, evolving the enterprise into a customer-centric powerhouse.

Kumar brings over 20 years of cross-industry expertise to the Volkswagen Group. Prior to SAVWIPL, she served as the IT Service Line Head at Beiersdorf, where she managed the India Hub P&L and drove IT strategy across Asia and emerging markets. Her extensive portfolio includes high-impact leadership roles at Otis Elevator Co., where she served as Director of Digital Technology for APAC Manufacturing and India. Her deep automotive roots were established during a transformative tenure at Tata Motors Insurance Broking and over a decade at Tata Motors, where she masterminded CRM transformations and aligned group-wide IT strategies.

A high-achiever from the start, Kumar holds an MBA in Marketing and Systems and a Diploma in Computer Engineering from NIIT. To bridge the gap between technical prowess and executive strategy, she completed advanced programs in Strategic IT Management and CRM Strategy at the prestigious Indian Institute of Management (IIM) Ahmedabad.

As SAVWIPL navigates a disruptive market, Kumar is set to ensure the company’s digital evolution is felt exactly where it matters: on the P&L and by the end-user.

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