2024 is the year of change for Citroën in India, which intends to take the bull by the horns to rearm the brand in this immense and difficult market. After the automatic gearbox on the C3 Aircross and the announcement of increased safety equipment, Citroën announces the appointment of a brand new director.
As of today, Citroën has a new Director for India, Shishir Mishra, with the mandate to "drive Citroën's strategic initiatives and strengthen the brand's presence and impact in the Indian market", according to the press release sent out by Stellantis.
Aditya Jairaj, CEO and Managing Director of Stellantis in India, said, "We are delighted to appoint Shishir Mishra as the head of Citroën in India. His experience, coupled with his track record of delivering results, makes him the ideal candidate to drive Citroën's brand strategy in this dynamic market. I am confident that under his leadership, Citroën will continue to innovate and excel to strengthen its position in the Indian market".
Shishir Mishra has 24 years of experience in the automotive and related banking and financial services sectors. Since 2018, he has been with Citroën India, one of the brand's first employees in the country, where he has held various positions including director and head of partnerships. Since June 2022, he has been responsible for creating synergies between Jeep and Citroën in sales and marketing, given the modest network and lower volumes, in order to create a viable business model.
For his part, Shishir Mishra said, "I am delighted to take on this role at an important time for the brand and the automotive industry. I look forward to leveraging Citroën's rich heritage and spirit of innovation to strengthen our position in the Indian market, working closely with our dealer network to deliver exceptional experiences to our customers and drive sustainable growth for the business".
The appointment of Shishir Mishra is part of Stellantis' desire to strengthen the Citroën brand on the Indian market after a start below expectations, due in particular to mistakes made both in terms of standard equipment and the choice of gearbox. From now on, with increased safety equipment and an automatic gearbox on the C3 Aircross, Citroën will have stronger weapons to increase its sales in India, and the appointment of this new CEO should contribute to this.