Shakti Upadhyay has resigned as Head of Marketing & PR at Kia India, where he had been associated since 2018.
Upadhyay initially joined the automaker as General Manager of Marketing and PR, later moving up to lead the function in April 2023. In this capacity, he was responsible for handling Kia’s overall marketing and communication activities, covering product campaigns, ATL/BTL, digital, PR, and research. His tenure with the company coincided with the rollout of key models, including the Seltos, Sonet, Carens, Carnival, and the EV6.
Before joining Kia, he worked with Samsung Electronics as Head of Marketing Communications and at Hyundai Motor India, where he managed marketing programmes for core models like the i10, Santro, Verna, and Sonata.
The resignation comes at a time when Kia India is undergoing senior-level churn. Hardeep Singh Brar, SVP and Head of Sales & Marketing, also stepped down earlier this year. The company has yet to announce a replacement for the marketing leadership role.
These departures come at a critical juncture for Kia India. The company’s high-profile launch of the Syros has failed to generate a strong consumer response, while its mainstream EV, the Clavis, has only just reached the market. Both products will require sharper positioning and sustained brand-building, underscoring the importance of a stable and active marketing function as Kia works to defend its share in a highly competitive SUV and EV landscape.
Kia India, which entered the domestic market in 2019, has steadily grown to capture over 6% share of the passenger vehicle segment, but faces stiff competition from homegrown rivals Tata Motors and Mahindra & Mahindra, and Japanese car majors—Suzuki and Toyota.
The company’s portfolio currently includes the Seltos, Sonet, Carens, EV6, and the recently introduced EV9. Under its global Plan S 2030 strategy, it has outlined plans to scale volumes to 400,000 units by 2030 with a stronger focus on electrified models.