Tata Motors has pretty much allowed JLR to operate at arms’ length since buying the company in 2008. That changed suddenly on 4 August, when the Indian company announced that its own chief financial officer, PB Balaji, would take over as CEO of JLR from November, replacing Adrian Mardell.
“It’s a harbinger of tighter Tata financial control as the firm enters choppy waters amid the shift to EVs, Trump tariffs etc,” said David Bailey, professor of business economics at the Birmingham Business School.
By picking Balaji (known universally by his surname only), Tata has put in place an executive pivotal to the entire organisation, with board seats on Air India, Tata Consumer Products and battery company Agratas.
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Tata Motors’ decision to appoint its own chief financial officer, PB Balaji, as CEO of Jaguar Land Rover starting November 2025 marks a significant shift from their previous hands-off approach since acquiring JLR in 2008. This move signals Tata’s intent to exert tighter financial and strategic control over JLR amid a challenging landscape shaped by the rapid transition to electric vehicles, geopolitical uncertainties such as Trump-era tariffs, and broader market pressures.
PB Balaji, known widely by his surname alone, comes with deep experience not only as Tata Motors’ CFO since 2017 and a long-standing JLR board member but also as a key executive within the broader Tata Group. He holds influential roles on the boards of Air India, Tata Consumer Products, and battery manufacturer Agratas. His expertise in finance, supply chain, and global operations positions him to steer JLR through its ongoing transformation, which includes launching fully electric Jaguar models by 2026 and electrifying the entire Jaguar Land Rover portfolio by 2030.
Adrian Mardell, Balaji’s predecessor, led JLR through a stable period marked by recovery from pandemic disruptions and initial electrification efforts, but Tata’s appointment of Balaji reflects a desire for more integrated governance and accelerated strategic execution. As Professor David Bailey of Birmingham Business School notes, this change “is a harbinger of tighter Tata financial control as the firm enters choppy waters amid the shift to EVs, Trump tariffs etc.”
Balaji’s leadership coincides with significant structural and industry-wide challenges: JLR is advancing battery production through Tata’s UK gigafactory initiative, realigning supply networks to navigate tariff changes, and addressing delays in electric vehicle programs. His financial acumen and operational insight will be pivotal in managing profitability while driving JLR’s ambitious electrification and market recovery plans.
In short, Tata’s move to install PB Balaji as JLR CEO consolidates control at a critical juncture, signaling a more hands-on approach aimed at ensuring the British automaker’s competitive future in an increasingly complex and fast-evolving automotive industry.