Breaking News – Carl Peter Forster is CEO of TATA Motors

We had earlier reported that Ratan Tata was on the lookout for his successor to lead Tata Motors and we were right. Tata even had a panel to decide who would be the right fit for the job. Finally, Tata have got their man – 55 year old Carl Peter Forster is Tata’s CEO for the Automobile division. Forster is former boss of General Motors Europe.

Forster had earlier led Chevrolet, Saab, Vauxhall and Opel. Forster left GM after negotiations to sell the Opel brand to Magan fell through. Forster was a strong supporter for the deal. Prior to that, Forster was a board member at BMW.

“The role is not new but the position is,” Debasis Ray, head of corporate communications for Tata Motors told Dow Jones Newswires separately. Mr. Ray added that Mr. Forster will be responsible for functions earlier handled by the company’s vice chairman, Ravi Kant.

He will have the overall responsibility of Tata Motors Operations globally, including Jaguar Land Rover. “Tata Motors expects that Mr Forster’s induction will greatly facilitate its ambition towards being a truly international company,” said Tata chairman Ratan Tata in a statement. Coinciding with this, Jaguar Land Rover’s chief executive David Smith left the company last month.