Q1. Could you start by giving us a brief overview of your professional background, particularly focusing on your expertise in the industry?

Across my leadership roles, I have held direct P&L and business development responsibility for automotive and emerging EV segments, covering OEM sales, product portfolio strategy, pricing, and long-term customer contracts. Decisions were not limited to revenue targets but also extended to capacity planning, capital investments in new product lines, and supplier localization strategies. These decisions impacted multi-plant operations, national OEM relationships, and long-term revenue visibility over several years, not just quarterly performance. The scale involved both domestic OEM programs and export-linked platforms, making cost, compliance, and execution equally critical to growth. The scale has ranged from 100 million USD to 300 million USD with an EBIDTA of 15 %. The companies that I worked in leadership positions included ExxonMobil, Goodyear Tyres, Shriram Pistons & Rings, Revolt Motors, etc.

Q2. Describe the change in the e-mobility landscape that has most altered how leaders make decisions today and explain why its impact feels sharper now than a few years ago.

The most significant shift has been the move from policy-driven optimism to performance-driven execution. Earlier, decisions were based on subsidies, pilot programs, and long-term EV projections. Today, leaders are forced to focus on real vehicle uptime, charging reliability, warranty exposure, and customer economics. Battery costs, charging downtime, and service infrastructure now directly affect business viability. The impact feels sharper because market competition has intensified, capital has become more selective, and customers are no longer experimenting; they expect commercial-grade reliability.

Q3. Talk through how digital tools, AI, or connected technologies have reshaped operations or go-to-market effectiveness, and where their impact has fallen short of expectations.

Digital tools have significantly improved forecasting, production planning, and field-level sales visibility. Connected systems help track usage patterns, enable predictive maintenance, and improve logistics efficiency, supporting faster decision-making and inventory optimization. However, AI-driven demand forecasting and automated sales systems have not fully delivered on expectations due to fragmented data, inconsistent field reporting, and rapid market shifts. Technology supports decisions, but leadership judgment remains critical, especially when scaling into new vehicle platforms or geographies.

Q4. Explain how ESG and regulatory requirements influence strategic choices in e-mobility, particularly in situations where growth, cost, or speed are under pressure.

ESG and regulatory requirements increasingly shape product design, supplier selection, and manufacturing investments. Decisions around materials, traceability, recyclability, and energy usage now directly affect customer approvals and export eligibility. When growth or speed is under pressure, the temptation is to prioritize cost and timelines, but regulatory non-compliance or ESG gaps can block OEM onboarding entirely. Strategic choices must balance immediate revenue with long-term certification, sustainability reporting, and brand credibility.

Q5. Describe the parts of the e-mobility value chain that feel most vulnerable today, and the signals leaders watch to anticipate disruption before it becomes visible.

The most vulnerable areas are battery supply chains, power electronics sourcing, and charging infrastructure reliability. Dependence on imported components, volatile commodity prices, and evolving technology standards creates structural risk. Leaders monitor signals such as supplier financial stress, sudden OEM spec changes, regulatory delays, and rising warranty claims. Early warning often signals minor quality deviations or delivery inconsistencies, long before major breakdowns occur.

Q6. Which customer segment showed strong early demand but proved harder to scale from a go-to-market standpoint, and where did friction emerge?

Fleet and shared mobility operators showed strong early interest in EV adoption, driven by operating cost savings and sustainability goals. However, scaling proved difficult due to financing gaps, limited charging infrastructure, service downtime, and inconsistent route economics. Friction emerged in after-sales support, battery replacement cycles, and driver behaviour management, affecting the total cost of ownership and slowing expansion plans.

Q7. From a capital allocation perspective, outline the questions you would explore with management today to assess long-term value creation, including the responses that would raise red flags for you.

I would focus on three areas: clarity of the technology roadmap, supply chain resilience, and customer concentration risk. Key questions include how future product platforms align with OEM roadmaps, how dependent the business is on single-source suppliers, and how diversified revenue streams are across vehicle segments. Red flags would include heavy reliance on subsidies, unclear product differentiation, overcapacity without firm orders, or excessive dependence on a single customer or technology path without fallback options.