AUTOCAR PROFESSIONAL NAMES TVS MD SUDARSHAN VENU PERSON OF THE YEAR 2025

Autocar Professional has named TVS Motor Company Managing Director Sudarshan Venu its Person of the Year 2025, recognising his leadership in transforming TVS into a top-three global two-wheeler manufacturer. The honour cites sustained growth, global expansion, and strategic investments that have strengthened the company’s long-term competitiveness.  

Autocar Professional has named Sudarshan Venu, Managing Director of TVS Motor Company, as its Person of the Year 2025, recognising his leadership at a time when the Indian automotive industry is undergoing profound transformation. The honour, decided by the Autocar Professional editorial team, is awarded annually to an industry leader whose decisions and long-term strategic vision have had a meaningful impact on the direction, competitiveness and global standing of India’s automotive sector. This year’s recognition reflects the growing influence of TVS Motor Company on the global two-wheeler landscape under Venu’s stewardship.

Over the past few years, TVS Motor Company has quietly but decisively reshaped its trajectory. Once primarily viewed as a strong domestic player with a solid export business, the company has emerged as one of the world’s top three two-wheeler manufacturers by volume. In a significant milestone, TVS overtook Yamaha to secure this position, becoming only the second Indian brand to rank so high globally. The achievement is not merely a numerical victory but a signal of how Indian manufacturers are increasingly capable of competing with established global giants on scale, quality and technological sophistication.

This rise has been driven by a combination of sustained market share gains, disciplined execution and a clear strategic focus across segments. Under Sudarshan Venu’s leadership, TVS has strengthened its presence in scooters, premium motorcycles and electric two-wheelers, ensuring that growth is balanced rather than overly dependent on a single category. The company’s product cadence has remained steady, supported by investments in engineering, design and manufacturing capabilities, allowing TVS to respond quickly to changing consumer preferences while maintaining operational efficiency.

Exports have been another critical pillar of this transformation. Today, overseas markets contribute nearly a quarter of TVS Motor Company’s overall revenue, reflecting a deliberate effort to build a diversified and resilient business. Rather than treating exports as a secondary outlet for domestic products, the company has increasingly tailored offerings for specific international markets, strengthening its brand recognition and competitive positioning abroad. This global outlook has been supported by consistent revenue growth and operating profitability, reinforcing the financial foundation needed for long-term expansion.

Congratulating Sudarshan Venu on the recognition, the Autocar Professional editorial team highlighted the balance he has struck between ambition and discipline. In an industry often tempted by short-term volume gains, Venu’s approach has emphasised structural strength and capability building. The editorial team noted that this philosophy has enabled TVS Motor Company to transition steadily from a primarily domestic manufacturer into a confident global two-wheeler company, without compromising on quality or financial prudence.

Ketan Thakkar, Group Business Editor at Autocar Professional, underlined what he described as Venu’s defining trait: a long-term perspective that prioritises enduring value over immediate scale. Rather than chasing volume for its own sake, Thakkar observed, Venu has focused on elevating brands, strengthening engineering depth and building capabilities that will sustain competitiveness over the next decade and beyond. This mindset has been evident in several strategic moves that signal TVS Motor Company’s intent to play a larger role in the global premium motorcycle space.

Among the most notable of these moves was the acquisition of iconic British brand Norton Motorcycles. The deal marked a bold step into the global premium segment, offering TVS not only a storied brand but also access to advanced engineering, design philosophies and a new customer base. Complementing this was the acquisition of Italian engineering specialist Engines Engineering, a move that reinforced TVS’s commitment to enhancing its in-house engineering and product development capabilities. Together, these acquisitions reflect a strategy that looks beyond immediate returns, focusing instead on knowledge transfer, brand elevation and long-term competitiveness.

Importantly, the impact of these strategic decisions has not been confined to the premium end of the portfolio. The capabilities and learnings gained through global acquisitions and partnerships have had a ripple effect across TVS Motor Company’s broader product range, contributing to improvements in design, performance and perceived quality. This cross-pollination has helped the company strengthen its offerings in mass and mid-premium segments, ensuring that innovation and excellence are not limited to niche products.

Sudarshan Venu’s leadership has also coincided with a period of significant change in the automotive industry, marked by the rise of electric mobility, evolving regulatory norms and shifting consumer expectations. TVS Motor Company’s measured but proactive approach to electric two-wheelers reflects the same philosophy that has guided its broader strategy. By investing early while remaining cautious about scale and profitability, the company has positioned itself to participate meaningfully in the electric transition without overextending resources.

The Person of the Year recognition from Autocar Professional thus acknowledges not only specific achievements but a broader pattern of leadership that has helped redefine what an Indian two-wheeler manufacturer can aspire to be. In a global industry where competition is intensifying and technological barriers are rising, the ability to combine scale with sophistication has become increasingly important. Under Venu’s guidance, TVS Motor Company’s evolution suggests that Indian firms can move beyond cost competitiveness to become global players known for engineering excellence, brand strength and strategic clarity.

With this honour, Autocar Professional recognises Sudarshan Venu’s contribution to the automotive industry and his role in shaping the direction of the sector at a critical juncture. As TVS Motor Company continues to expand its global footprint and deepen its capabilities, the recognition serves as both an acknowledgement of progress made and a marker of expectations for the future. In an industry defined by long investment cycles and rapid technological change, Venu’s emphasis on vision, discipline and long-term value offers a compelling blueprint for sustainable growth in the years ahead.