Mahindra Group Appoints Shveta Arya as Group Chief Strategy Officer

Mahindra Group has appointed Shveta Arya as its Group Chief Strategy Officer, strengthening its senior leadership team as the conglomerate continues to focus on growth, portfolio development and long-term value creation.

Arya will assume the role effective September 15, 2026. She will also join the Senior Management of Mahindra & Mahindra Ltd. and become part of the Group Executive Board.

In her new position, Arya will lead the Group Strategy Office and work across Mahindra’s diverse portfolio of businesses to identify new growth opportunities, strengthen strategic priorities and unlock long-term value.

She will report to Dr Anish Shah, Group CEO and Managing Director of Mahindra Group.

Leading Mahindra’s Group-Wide Strategy

The appointment gives Arya a broad mandate across one of India’s largest and most diversified business groups.

As Group Chief Strategy Officer, she will work across Mahindra’s businesses to evaluate opportunities, support strategic decision-making and help build sustainable competitive advantages.

The role will focus on areas including:

• Identifying new growth opportunities
• Supporting portfolio-wide strategic priorities
• Unlocking business value
• Strengthening long-term competitive advantage
• Supporting transformation and strategic change

For large diversified organisations, the strategy function plays an increasingly important role in connecting business performance with long-term priorities. Group-level strategy leaders are required to look beyond individual business units and identify opportunities that can create value across the wider organisation.

Arya’s appointment comes as Mahindra continues to strengthen its portfolio and position its businesses for future growth.

Over Two Decades of Leadership Experience

Shveta Arya brings more than 23 years of experience across multinational businesses and management consulting.

Her career has covered multiple industries, including automotive, travel, financial services and telecommunications, giving her exposure to diverse business models and strategic challenges.

Most recently, Arya served as Managing Director of Cummins India Limited.

In that role, she was responsible for leading the business across growth, customer success, talent development and organisational culture. Her leadership mandate also included building an inclusive and ethical workplace environment.

Before joining Cummins India, Arya was associated with Thomas Cook India, where she led Strategy and Mergers & Acquisitions.

Her earlier career also includes experience with global consulting firm Kearney and technology services company Infosys.

This combination of business leadership, strategy, consulting and M&A experience is expected to bring a broad perspective to her new Group-wide mandate at Mahindra.

Experience Across Business and Strategy

Arya’s professional journey reflects a combination of operational leadership and strategic expertise.

At Cummins India, she led a large listed business and worked closely across commercial growth, customers, talent and organisational priorities.

Her earlier experience in strategy and M&A at Thomas Cook India added exposure to business evaluation, portfolio development and growth opportunities.

Meanwhile, her consulting background at Kearney provided experience in solving complex business and strategic challenges across industries.

Her career also includes experience at Infosys, adding technology and services sector exposure to her professional background.

Together, these experiences have shaped her leadership journey across both corporate strategy and business execution.

Focus on Long-Term Growth and Value Creation

Mahindra’s decision to appoint a Group Chief Strategy Officer highlights the importance of long-term strategic planning within large and diversified business groups.

As organisations navigate changing markets, technology disruption, new consumer expectations and global competition, strategy leaders are increasingly expected to combine long-term vision with practical business execution.

Arya will work with Mahindra’s portfolio of businesses to identify opportunities that can support sustainable growth and value creation.

Commenting on the appointment, Dr Anish Shah said Arya’s experience across business, strategy and management consulting would bring valuable perspective to the Group.

He highlighted her experience in driving growth, shaping strategy and leading organisations through periods of change as important strengths for her new mandate.

Leadership Beyond Business Performance

Beyond her corporate leadership experience, Arya has also been involved in initiatives related to diversity, inclusion and women’s empowerment.

During her tenure at Cummins, she served as the programme sponsor for a flagship initiative aimed at creating large-scale impact in the lives of girls and women in India.

She has also spoken about the importance of creating constructive change and driving progress that benefits customers, employees and communities.

This approach aligns with the growing expectation from senior business leaders to create value that extends beyond financial performance.

Today, leadership roles increasingly involve balancing growth ambitions with people development, organisational culture and wider social impact.

A New Strategic Leadership Chapter for Mahindra

Arya’s appointment marks an important addition to Mahindra Group’s senior leadership structure.

With experience spanning Cummins India, Thomas Cook India, Kearney and Infosys, she brings expertise across business leadership, corporate strategy, M&A and transformation.

As Group Chief Strategy Officer, her focus will now shift towards working across Mahindra’s portfolio to identify opportunities, shape strategic priorities and support long-term value creation.

Her inclusion in the Group Executive Board and Senior Management of Mahindra & Mahindra Ltd. further underlines the strategic importance of the role.

As Mahindra Group continues to strengthen its businesses and pursue future growth opportunities, Shveta Arya’s appointment signals a renewed focus on portfolio-wide strategy, value creation and building sustainable competitive advantages for the years ahead.