Keerthi Prakash to head Renault Nissan Chennai Plant as Managing Director

Japanese automaker Nissan announced on August 26 that Keerthi Prakash has been appointed the Managing Director of Renault Nissan Automotive India Pvt Ltd (RNAIPL). He will replace Biju Balendran to lead the operations of Renault’s Nissan’s Alliance plant in Chennai from September 1.

The company said in a statement: “Keerthi, currently Deputy MD, Renault Nissan Automotive India joined the plant in 2008 and has over two decades of automotive manufacturing experience. He replaces Biju Balendran, who has decided to pursue opportunities outside of Nissan after four years at the plant.”

Currently the Deputy Managing Director of RNAIPL, Keerthi has more than 20 years of experience in automotive manufacturing. He had begun working for the plant in 2008 as a bodyshop manager; he was promoted to senior manager – stamping, body, trin and chassis assembly in 2010. Following his promotion to the position of vice president – vehicle production and plant and engineering in 2016, he completed assignments overseas at the headquarters of Nissan in Japan and returned to Chennai in 2021. This is when he was promoted to deputy managing director -- engineering, quality assurance, production control and parts arrangement.

Frank Torres, President, Nissan India Operations, said: “I am pleased to announce Keerthi’s appointment as Managing Director of our Chennai plant. He has a wealth of production and engineering experience, having held numerous management and senior management positions within the plant since 2008.”

“I also thank Biju for his dedication to RNAIPL throughout his 14 years at the plant. His contribution has been pivotal to RNAIPL’s transformation, and I wish him every success in his future career,” he added.

Notably, in his new role, Keerthi will be reporting to Frank Torres, President, Nissan India operations, and functionally to Roddy Macleod, Vice President of Manufacturing and Supply Chain Management for Africa, Middle East and India.