New Delhi: Ttata Motors is faced with a sudden issue of finding a successor to Managing Director Karl Slym who passed away on Sunday in Bangkok where he had gone to attend a board meeting of the regional subsidiary of the auto major. According to reports, vice-chairman Ravi Kant will take over charge till a new Managing Director is appointed.
Tim Leverton, who contributed to the development of Revotron petrol engine as the strategy for the future alongwith Slym, is tipped to be a likely candidate for the top slot. He is currently heading the research and development wing. The name of Ravi Pisharody, executive director, is also likely to figure in the list of probables. A board meeting is expected to take a final call within a few days.
3-page letter found in room was written by wife
Karl Slym (51) fell to his death from a top floor of a hotel where he was staying, on Sunday morning. Thai police said on Tuesday that a 3-page note found in the room was written by his wife Sally and that it mentioned "domestic problems." According to them, Sally had written out her "marital problems" as per the advice of her therapist, it is reported. They said the death was not a murder. Slym was staying with his wife in the room on the 22nd floor of the Shangri-La hotel. A British national, Slym joined India's largest auto maker in a management overhaul in 2012. His death is a major setback to the revival efforts of the auto major.
Tavera racall investigation
Karl Slym had described himself as a Britisher who "just can't stay away from India" and was was planning to settle down here with his family. He had purchased a house.
The Tata Motors' new Revotron petrol engine was the brainchild of Karl Slym. It was intended to seize a share in the market for petrol cars in the coming years. The Tatas has been a leader in diesel-powered autos.
However, he was caught in a controversy over the recall of 1,14,000 Tavera MUVs for emission problems last year. Karl Slym was the Managing Director of the US auto major General Motors's India division during 2007-11. He was in charge of GM's China operations when Tata Motors appointed him in October 2012. Various irregularities committed by GM are under investigation in India.
