Hero MotoCorp Appoints Arun Jaura as CTO; Chief Compliance Officer Neerja Sharma Resigns

Mumbai, Jan 7 (PTI) Two-wheeler maker Hero MotoCorp on Friday announced the appointment of industry veteran Arun Jaura as its chief technology officer (CTO) to lead the company's research and development (R&D).

The company, in a statement, also announced the resignation of Neerja Sharma, company secretary and chief compliance officer.

Jaura, who was the managing director of Michelin India Technology Center before taking up the current position, reports to Hero MotoCorp Chairman and CEO Pawan Munjal, the company said in a statement.

Vikram Kasbekar, who has been leading the R&D function at Hero MotoCorp in the past two-and-a-half years, will support Jaura for a seamless transition and continue to work on some key assignments in the coming months, it said.

The appointment of Jaura, a global technology expert, is aimed at strengthening the company's leadership team amid its continued focus on its vision — 'Be the Future of Mobility', Hero MotoCorp said.

Sharma has decided to take a pause and refresh her priorities. She has decided to move on and will leave the organisation at the end of this month, the company said.

With Hero MotoCorp, Neerja made a significant contribution in her role, including many other areas of the company's business — in particular corporate governance and diversity and inclusion, Hero MotoCorp said.

An accomplished engineering and technology expert with experience of over four decades in global markets, Jaura managed R&D and sustainability functions in his capacity as the managing director of Michelin India Technology Center from 2017, said the statement.

Jaura also represented the Michelin Pune site of over 1,100 engineers and technologists, it said.

He started his career with DRDO in 1982 where he spent a decade developing servo and electrohydraulic weapon systems as well as hydro-pneumatic suspension systems for battle tanks besides working on subsystems of the Combat aircraft, the statement said.

Jaura moved to Canada in 1992 to pursue a PhD focused on robotics and artificial intelligence for smart manufacturing.

Besides Michelin, he has also served companies such as Ford Motor Co and Mahindra & Mahindra, according to the statement.