Mover and Shaker: Rajesh Gupta

Centurion – Mahindra South Africa has announced a change to its key leadership position with Rajesh Gupta, current CEO of Mahindra South Africa, appointed as Regional Head for South Africa, Australia, New Zealand and South Asia for the parent company Mahindra and Mahindra.

This global role recognises his outstanding leadership and contribution to the brand’s international growth in his current tenure. In his new position, Rajesh will assume executive responsibility for major international markets for Mahindra Automotive, including South Africa, which continues to be a priority market in his portfolio.

Ankit Taneja, currently National Manager Mahindra Australia will succeed Rajesh as CEO of Mahindra South Africa and will be based at its head office in Centurion.

This leadership transition reflects both continuity and progression, with a clear focus on building a resilient, locally relevant, and future-ready organisation. It also marks a strengthening of leadership capacity at Mahindra South Africa. With Rajesh’s continued oversight of the market in his regional role and Ankit’s focused in-country leadership, the organisation is well positioned to build on its current momentum.

Entering the new financial year (FY27), Mahindra South Africa is supported by a strong product pipeline, with multiple new launches planned across categories, complemented by continuous progress on localisation, and a clear intent to deepen its manufacturing footprint over time. The foundation built over the past eight years provides a platform to further strengthen Mahindra’s market presence, enhance value for dealer partners, and continue building a competitive organisation for the long term.

A Record-Breaking Journey of MSA over last 8 years

Rajesh began his role as CEO of Mahindra South Africa in January 2018, when the company retailed 505 vehicles through a network of 55 dealers. This month, Mahindra South Africa celebrated its highest sales month ever, retailing 2 284 units through 106 dealerships nationwide.

In the most recent financial year, Mahindra South Africa achieved sales of 18 789 vehicles, setting a record and reaching a market share of 3.18%, up from 0.7% in 2018. The key pillars of his growth journey have been:

Localisation with Mahindra South Africa committed to long-term localisation with the launch of its first assembly facility in late 2018. The operation has since expanded into purpose-built facilities with a monthly capacity of 1 500 units.

Cultural Transformation with the introduction of the Mahindra Fusion Fest in 2025, a unique blend of Fusion of Art, Music and Fashion of different genres that gives the people of youthful vibrant rainbow nation a platform to express themselves.

Fleet Connect programs to establish Mahindra as a key player for fleets in South Africa by providing tailored mobility solutions and 24/7 support to major fleet customers.

Reach-out to customers via innovative channels and tailor-made after-sales service solutions with a central warehouse making sure the part availability is not a challenge.

Ecosystem ensuring a steady sustainable growth over last eight years is tied with excellent brand partnerships and corporate social responsibility (CSR) initiatives. The brand partnerships range from the Joburg Super Kings to conservation efforts with the SORAI rhino protection initiative.

These unique ways have won Mahindra South Africa various industry accolades including three Car of the Year Category Awards (COTYs), a Gold Award from the National Automobile Dealer Association, and awards within the Mahindra and Mahindra’s ecosystems. In past eight years MSA has been fastest growing automotive brand in South Africa three times.

“The focus has always been on building a business that is relevant locally and sustainable over time. That means staying close to customers, working closely with partners, and ensuring that the organisation is aligned in how it executes.

“As we move into the next phase, the priority will be to continue strengthening these fundamentals, simplifying how we operate, enabling our teams and maintaining consistency in delivery across markets.

“The opportunity ahead is meaningful, but it will be shaped by clarity and discipline in execution. It was a great journey in South Africa for me, and I am happy that in my future role South Africa will remain a focus market for me. I would also like to welcome Ankit who has created an excellent growth journey for Mahindra in Australia and with his rich experience will be pivotal for next growth phase of Mahindra South Africa,” said Rajesh on his transition.

The new CEO of Mahindra South Africa, as well as the executive teams from New Zealand, Australia and other countries in South Asia will report to Rajesh in his new role.