SML Mahindra to Appoint Surender Kalra as CFO From January 2027

Key Highlights

• Surender Kalra will become SML Mahindra CFO on January 1, 2027.

• Pushkar Patwardhan will step down on October 19, 2026.

• Manaswini Goel will serve as interim CFO from October 20 to December 31, 2026.

• Ashudeep Saddi will join as CHRO on October 19, 2026.

• Kalra and Saddi bring decades of experience in finance and human resources, respectively.

SML Mahindra has appointed Surender Kalra as its new chief financial officer (CFO), effective January 1, 2027. The company has also appointed Ashudeep Saddi as chief human resources officer (CHRO), while Manaswini Goel will serve as interim CFO until Kalra takes charge.

The company’s board approved these appointments at its meeting on October 12, 2026. The leadership changes follow the planned departure of current CFO Pushkar Patwardhan, who will step down on October 19, 2026, to pursue an opportunity outside the Mahindra Group.

Surender Kalra to Take Charge as CFO in January 2027

Kalra is a chartered accountant with more than three decades of experience in finance, corporate governance, business planning and business transformation. He has been associated with Mahindra’s Swaraj business for nearly 30 years, having joined the erstwhile Punjab Tractors in 1996.

Since 2022, he has served as vice-president of finance for the Swaraj Division and is also a member of its executive council. His experience within the Mahindra Group is expected to support the company’s financial management and business planning.

Following Patwardhan’s departure, Manaswini Goel will serve as interim CFO from October 20 to December 31, 2026. She currently oversees finance for the Mahindra Group’s Aerospace, Advanced Technologies, and Trucks & Buses businesses.

Goel joined the Mahindra Group in 2015 and has worked across corporate finance and treasury. Before joining the group, she worked with HDFC and the National Housing Bank. She is a chartered accountant and holds qualifications from Shri Ram College of Commerce, the Institute of Chartered Accountants of India, and the Institute of Chartered Accountants in England and Wales.

Ashudeep Saddi Appointed as CHRO

SML Mahindra has appointed Ashudeep Saddi as its chief human resources officer (CHRO) and senior management personnel, effective October 19, 2026.

Saddi joins the company from Voltas, where he serves as head of human resources for the International Operations Business Group. He brings nearly 30 years of HR experience across consumer durables, telecommunications, fast-moving consumer goods (FMCG), engineering and manufacturing.

His previous professional experience includes roles at Vodafone, Samsung, Procter & Gamble, LG Electronics and Punjab Tractors.

These appointments mark changes in SML Mahindra’s finance and human resources leadership, with the transition in the CFO role scheduled to be completed at the beginning of 2027.

Also Read: Ashok Leyland Partners with Tamilnad Mercantile Bank for Truck, Bus Loans

CMV360 Says

SML Mahindra’s leadership changes will bring Surender Kalra into the CFO role from January 1, 2027, following Pushkar Patwardhan’s departure. Manaswini Goel will manage the finance function during the interim period, ensuring continuity until Kalra takes charge. Meanwhile, Ashudeep Saddi will lead human resources from October 19, 2026. Their experience across finance, manufacturing and HR is expected to support the company’s organisational and business priorities.