Prasanna Pahade is a business leader and turnaround specialist with more than 25 years of experience across strategy, operations and P&L management, with a career spanning the Tata and Mahindra groups. His professional experience covers automotive, logistics, supply chain, engineering, consumer durables and corporate strategy, combining strategic thinking with hands-on operational leadership. He currently serves as Chief Executive Officer of the Automotive Skills Development Council (ASDC).
An alumnus of the College of Engineering, Pune and Indian Institute of Management Calcutta, Pahade began his career with Tata Strategic Management Group, where he worked on corporate strategy and business advisory assignments. He subsequently held leadership roles at Voltas, including corporate planning and its water management business, before co-founding the startup Making CHAMPS. These experiences gave him exposure to strategy, business building and operational management across diverse sectors.
Pahade joined Mahindra Logistics in 2017, initially as Chief Strategy Officer. His responsibilities subsequently expanded into business leadership and P&L management, including responsibility for one of the company’s largest businesses. His experience at Mahindra Logistics combined corporate strategy with direct ownership of business performance, operations, customers and teams.
His career reflects a distinctive combination of strategy and implementation. From working on strategic assignments with senior leadership to managing large-scale operations, Pahade has developed experience in translating business strategy into execution. His sector exposure across logistics, automotive supply chain, engineering and consumer-facing businesses has also given him an understanding of cost structures, customer relationships, operational models and talent requirements.
Pahade also brings experience in corporate governance and senior-level stakeholder management, having worked closely with boards and senior leadership teams during his career. This combination of operational credibility, strategic perspective and governance exposure has shaped his approach to business transformation and leadership.
As CEO of the Automotive Skills Development Council, Pahade now brings this experience to India’s automotive skilling ecosystem. His appointment comes as the industry evolves through electric mobility, advanced manufacturing, automation, digital technologies and changing workforce requirements. ASDC’s role in connecting industry requirements with skills development provides an opportunity to apply his experience in business transformation and industry leadership to the future workforce of India’s automotive sector.
Prasanna Pahade’s career brings together strategy, P&L ownership, business transformation, turnaround leadership and operational execution across major Indian business groups. His current leadership at ASDC extends this experience into automotive workforce development, with a focus on strengthening the capabilities required for the industry’s next phase of growth.
