Tata Motors Nabs GM Exec for Managing Director

Mumbai-based Tata Motors Ltd. has hired Karl Slym, former president of General Motors Co.'s India unit, at its managing director, effective Oct 1.

Slym replaces Prakash Telang, who retired in June.

Slym will lead Tata Motors operations in India, Indonesia, South Africa, South Korea, Thailand and other international markets. He will not be responsible for the company's U.K.-based Jaguar Land Rover unit.

The 17-year GM veteran has been vice president and a board member at Chinese joint venture SAIC-GM-Wuling Motors since January. In his previous job heading GM India, Slym helped orchestrate the unit's transformation in 2009 into a 50:50 joint venture with SAIC Motors.

GM plans to begin selling SAIC-based minitrucks in India next year, thus challenging Tata's grip on 90% of the country's commercial minivehicle market.

Slym follows in the footsteps of another former GM executive, Carl-Peter Forster, who was Tata Motor's global CEO in 2010-2011.