ŠKODA AUTO Volkswagen India (SAVWIPL), which is the new company that represents the passenger vehicle brands of Volkswagen Group in India, has announced the appointment of Sarma Chillara as the group head of human resources & administration.
In his new position, Chillara will be responsible for HR strategy and execution, internal stakeholder management and talent management and will lead HR strategies for the group within the framework of the India 2.0 project. Chillara will report to Gurpratap Boparai, managing director, ŠKODA AUTO Volkswagen India.
He brings over 15 years of experience working across various roles within the HR domain. He joined the Volkswagen Group in 2011 and has been associated with the group for over nine years, in various leadership roles. He was previously associated with Boston Consulting Group as a team leader, where he was responsible for talent acquisition and campus branding.
Chillara has also worked with companies such as Citi Bank and Future Group India as an HR manager and senior executive.
Gurpratap Boparai, managing director, ŠKODA AUTO Volkswagen India, sees in Chillara “a worthy successor for Jan Frydrych.” He has faith in Chillara’s “exceptional track record, a deep understanding of evolving HR trends and infectious passion and energy, that will continue to shape the culture and talent of the company.” Boparai is grateful for Jan Frydrych’s “contribution in leading the Indian operations through a complex merger and embarking on a transformative digital journey for the HR function.”
Chillara takes over the HR mandate at SAVWIPL at a very exciting phase for the Group in India. The Company is in the midst of a digital transformative journey, as part of its new Corporate Strategy 2030, with a specific focus on enhanced employee experiences, diversity and inclusion and education and upskilling to make the organisation future ready.
In Chillara’s words, “Passionate and engaged employees are at the heart of any successful corporate strategy. I look forward to working closely with the leadership team and the larger family of employees to co-create an agile and productive work environment to steer the organisation through the transformative process we have embarked on.”
A commerce graduate, Chillara also holds an MBA in human resources from Welingkar Institute of Management.
