Bajaj Auto has appointed Madhusudan Gopalan as its Chief Product Officer (CPO) and a member of its senior management team, effective November 16, 2026. The appointment was announced through a regulatory filing dated October 27, 2026.
Gopalan joins the two-wheeler manufacturer after a career spanning more than two decades at Procter & Gamble (P&G), where he held leadership responsibilities across sales, marketing, business strategy, category management, commercial operations and profit-and-loss management across multiple international markets.
Global Business Leadership Experience
Prior to his upcoming role at Bajaj Auto, Gopalan served as Senior Vice President for Grooming & Oral Care in P&G’s Asia Pacific Focus Markets, based in Singapore. In this position, he held end-to-end P&L responsibility for Japan and South Korea.
His previous leadership assignments included serving as Senior Vice President and Country Head for India and South Asia, where his responsibilities included strengthening go-to-market capabilities through modern retail, e-commerce and technology-enabled selling.
His career at P&G also included roles as Country Head for Indonesia, Vice President for Commercial and Marketing in ASEAN, and Senior Director for Customer Business Development in Indonesia. These positions provided experience across diverse markets and business functions, including commercial strategy, customer development, innovation and business operations.
Academic Background
Gopalan holds an MBA from the Indian Institute of Management Calcutta and a Bachelor of Engineering degree from the College of Engineering, Guindy, Anna University.
Leadership Transition at Bajaj Auto
Gopalan’s appointment follows a change in Bajaj Auto’s senior management structure. Kailash Zanzari, who previously served as Chief Product Officer, has been redesignated Chief Operating Officer, effective October 27, 2026.
With Gopalan set to assume the Chief Product Officer role in November, the appointment marks a new addition to the company’s senior leadership team.
His experience across global markets, business strategy, customer development and commercial leadership brings a cross-industry perspective to his new position at Bajaj Auto.
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