SML Mahindra Limited has announced a leadership reshuffle that tightens the company’s financial leadership and adds a fresh layer of human resources leadership, signaling a coordinated, group-wide approach to governance and execution. In a board meeting on 12 October 2026, the company noted the cessation of Pushkar Patwardhan as Chief Financial Officer (CFO) and Key Managerial Personnel, effective close of 19 October 2026, as he pursues a career outside the Mahindra Group. In the interim, Ms. Manaswini Goel will serve as Interim Chief Financial Officer from 20 October 2026 to 31 December 2026, guiding the finance function through the transition. The long-term plan envisions Mr. Surender Kalra stepping into the CFO role from 1 January 2027, bringing decades of financial leadership to the position.
The board also approved the appointment of Mr. Ashudeep Saddi as Chief Human Resources Officer (CHRO) and Senior Management Personnel, effective 19 October 2026. Saddi arrives with a broad HR mandate, attaching strategic importance to organizational transformation, talent management, and culture-building as the company navigates its growth trajectory. In parallel, the company underscored Goel’s interim responsibilities and Kalra’s forthcoming full-time CFO appointment as part of a cohesive plan to maintain momentum in both finance and governance.
Ms. Goel is already recognized inside the Mahindra Group as the Chief Financial Officer for the Aerospace, Advanced Technologies, and Trucks & Buses businesses, focusing on capital efficiency, strategic financial planning, and performance optimization. Mr. Kalra—a Chartered Accountant with over 30 years in finance, governance, and business transformation—has been a long-time presence within the Swaraj division, most recently serving as Vice President – Finance. Saddi, who holds an MBA in HR and a law degree, brings nearly three decades of HR leadership across consumer durables, telecom, FMCG, engineering, and manufacturing, including leadership stints at Voltas and other major groups in the ecosystem. Together, these moves reflect SML Mahindra’s readiness to align financial stewardship and people strategy with its evolving business agenda.