Rejigs top management; Seshasayee to be exec VC

Commercial vehicle maker Ashok Leyland has elevated its long-time managing director R Seshasayee to executive vice-chairman,effective from April 1. Seshasayee,who has been the managing director of the company since 1998,will now be replaced by Vinod K Dasari,who is at present the chief operating officer and a whole-time director of the company. The company,however,said Seshasayee will have overall responsibility of Ashok Leyland,adding that Dasari would assume charge of the new position from April 1,2011.

Under Seshasayees leadership,Ashok Leyland has consistently grown from strength to strength to its present position. He will now focus on strategic initiatives towards globalisation of the company’s operations as well as leadership development, Ashok Leyland chairman Dheeraj G Hinduja said in a statement.

Seshasayees current term as managing director is due to expire on March 31,2011. On Dasaris appointment,Hinduja said,This is a planned transition. Vinod was being groomed for this move over the last few years and he was progressively being entrusted with the responsibilities relating to marketing,manufacturing,strategic sourcing and product development.