Nagesh Basavanhalli quits Fiat

Nagesh Basavanhalli, Managing Director and President of Fiat Chrysler India, has exited the company according to sources. The development comes at a time when the company is gearing up to introduce a number of new models in the country, including the Abarth and Jeep brands.

Basavanhalli took up the posts of President and Managing Director in April 2013. Prior to that, he was responsible for Fiat and Chrysler’s APAC (Asia Pacific) Technical Center located in Chennai, India. He was playing a major role in scripting a turnaround of the struggling brand.

Fiat India has not been successful at selling its cars in the country. However, as an engine manufacturer, it has had considerable success with major players including Maruti Suzuki and Tata Motors sourcing the 1.3-litre MultiJet diesel engine from it.