Up the ranks: Apollo Tyres welcomes R Mahalakshmi as its new Chief Human Resources Officer

"I look forward to partnering with our global teams to further strengthen our people strategy, foster a truly inclusive and high-performing culture, and make Apollo Tyres an even more exceptional place to work," she commented.

Indian tyre manufacturer Apollo Tyres has welcomed R Mahalakshmi to the team as Chief Human Resources Officer (CHRO), effective 17 July 2025. She will be based out of Apollo Tyres’ Head Office in Gurugram, India and report to Neeraj Kanwar, Vice Chairman and MD.

Bringing nearly three decades of experience across India, Africa, the UK and Southeast Asia, Mahalakshmi joins Apollo Tyres with a track record of leading transformative people strategies in complex, multicultural environments.

As a key member of Apollo Tyres’ Global Executive Committee, she will shape and drive the company’s global people strategy in alignment with its growth ambitions; while spearheading initiatives that aim to maximise organisational effectiveness, refresh and evolve people policies, and strengthen the company’s people-first agile growth culture.

Commenting on the appointment, Neeraj Kanwar, Vice Chairman and MD, Apollo Tyres, said Mahalakshmi’s global perspective, deep HR expertise, and people-centric approach will be instrumental in unlocking the company's next phase of growth. "We look forward to her cultivating top talent, enhancing the company’s employer brand, and deepening employee engagement across geographies."

Mahalakshmi was most recently Mondelēz International's Head of HR for Southeast Asia based in Singapore, where she led the function across six countries and 10 manufacturing units – partnering a strong business turnaround, building future-ready talent strategies and shaping a strong organisation and culture to power growth.

Prior to that, she has held senior HR leadership roles at Big Five consulting firms and leadership roles across telecom, pharma, and FMCG MNCs, credited for her involvement in major cultural transformation, leadership development, and workforce strategies.

Expressing her sentiment towards her new role, Mahalakshmi said: "I am thrilled to join Apollo Tyres at such an exciting time in its journey. What drew me to this organisation is its strong purpose, dynamic culture and bold growth agenda. 

"I look forward to partnering with our global teams to further strengthen our people strategy, foster a truly inclusive and high-performing culture, and make Apollo Tyres an even more exceptional place to work."

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