Hero MotoCorp Limited announced the appointment of Harshavardhan Chitale as its new Chief Executive Officer (CEO), effective Monday, January 5, 2026, following approval of the Board of Directors.
Harsh brings with him more than three decades of global leadership across both B2B and B2C sectors, with deep expertise in industrial automation, lighting, information technology services, and digital transformation. He has held senior executive positions in leading publicly listed and multinational corporations, consistently delivering growth, profitability, and large-scale organizational renewal. Having lived and worked in India, the United States, and Europe, Harsh offers a perspective that is both truly global in outlook and deeply rooted in India’s aspirations. His distinguished track record spans not only profitable growth and transformation at scale, but also the successful end-to-end integration of acquisitions, unlocking long-term value and synergies.
Harsh served as the Global CEO of Signify’s Euros 4 Billion Professional Business (the global leader in lighting solutions), where he led a workforce of 12,000 employees across 70 countries, overseeing manufacturing, supply chain, product development, and digital transformation initiatives. Under his stewardship, the business doubled profitability, pioneered large-scale innovation, and launched more than 100 products annually, including IoT-enabled lighting ecosystems.
Prior to that, Harsh was the Vice Chairman & Managing Director of Philips Lighting India, where he successfully executed the spin-off into a standalone, public company and cemented market leadership with a share twice that of its nearest competitor. He has also held top leadership roles as CEO and Board Member at HCL Infosystems and Honeywell Automation India, driving transformative growth and creating significant shareholder value.
Harsh is widely respected for his strategic vision, execution excellence, and ability to empower diverse, global teams. His leadership style—described as spanning from “zero feet to 30,000 feet”—reflects his ability to engage both frontline teams and boardrooms with equal agility.
An alumnus of the Indian Institute of Technology, Delhi, Harsh was awarded the Director’s Gold Medal for best student of his graduating class. Beyond his executive roles, he is also an active angel investor in emerging sectors such as EVs, clean energy, health-tech, and agri-tech.