Mumbai: Homegrown electric scooter brand Ather Energy has announced two key appointments with an aim to strengthen its leadership team as the company embarks on its next phase of growth. In view of its long term business objectives and goals, the company has appointed Gurinder Singh Sukhija as head of ownership management and Murali Sashidharan as head of communications and government relations.
“‘Ownership experience’ is the part of the journey that starts once the customer takes delivery of the vehicle. I am delighted to welcome Gurinder. His rich experience across industries and functions will be super-useful in helping him take the Ather ownership experience to even greater heights. Functionally speaking, Gurinder will lead the Customer Service, Vehicle Service and Ownership Products verticals,” said Ather Energy chief business officer Ravneet Singh Phokela on the appointments.
Sukhija comes with over 24 years of experience in diverse industries like banking, telecom, infrastructure (ATM) and transport networks. His core expertise lies in customer support management across geographies and managing in-house and outsourcing partners.
Prior to joining Ather, he was working with Ola as senior director and head-customer and partner support operations. He has held previous roles at CMS Infosystems, Transaction Solutions International, Mphasis among others.
Announcing Sashidharan’s appointment at Ather Energy, Ravneet further said, “Murali, with his extensive experience in corporate communication will head the Public Relations function, leading media relations, influencer marketing and public affairs. He will also manage the interface with government and industry bodies. Murali brings a wealth of experience and will play a critical role in this high-growth phase for the brand. I am delighted to have both of them join us at this critical stage of our journey.”
Sashidharan comes with 20 years of experience in goal-oriented communication strategies focussed on driving engagement with stakeholders and establishing strong brand recall across audiences. His last assignment was with Ola where he managed the communications strategy for their mobility and electric businesses. He has also led the communication mandate for Ola’s launch in London. Murali has also worked with Sony Pictures Network India, Adfactors PR, MSL 20:20, Royal Sundaram and Six Degrees PR.
To cater to growing demand, Ather Energy has commissioned its second manufacturing facility in Hosur recently taking its manufacturing capacity to 400,000 units from its current capacity of 120,000 units. It has also invested heavily in the charging infrastructure to ensure a seamless and hassle-free transition to EVs, the company said.
According to a statement, the company has registered strong year-on-year growth, and has expanded its retail footprint to 26 cities and plans to expand to around 150 Experience Centers in 100 cities by March 2023.
