Sriram Padmanabhan — CEO

Growth-oriented automotive leader transforming complex global markets through innovation, simplification, and relentless commercial focus. Recognized for marrying global vision with local execution to deliver disruptive results. From Melbourne to Mumbai, Cologne to Shanghai, I’ve helped build and rebuild automotive businesses by launching disruptive products, modernizing digital ecosystems, and aligning customer-centricity with commercial rigor. Whether it’s pioneering a subscription model in India during COVID, leading Nissan Oceania through brand and product reinvention, or scaling Ford's retail performance across Asia Pacific, I’ve consistently delivered results that balance immediate ROI with long-term brand equity. Specialties: -Commercial Strategy & Market Growth -Brand Turnarounds & Product Launches -Digital Customer Experience & e-Commerce -Sales Planning, Dealer Transformation -Cross-Cultural Leadership -Governance & Boardroom Readiness (AICD Fellow)

Stackforce AI infers this person is a seasoned automotive marketing leader with a focus on digital transformation and customer experience.

Location: Mulgrave, Victoria, Australia

Experience: 23 yrs 6 mos

Career Highlights

Pioneered subscription model in India during COVID.
Led Nissan Oceania through brand and product reinvention.
Scaled Ford's retail performance across Asia Pacific.

Work Experience

Nissan Motor Corporation

Director Business Transformation (10 mos)

Chief Marketing Officer - Marketing, Product Strategy, Car Flow Management & Customer Experience (3 yrs)

Director Marketing, Sales Operations, Corporate Strategy, Nissan India (3 yrs 7 mos)

Sewells MSXI

Director -Ford Academy Europe - Customer Experience, Dealer Business Management, Training (1 yr 3 mos)

Code Red Marketing

General Manager, chief executive overseeing a retail marketing organization, Australia (4 yrs 1 mo)

Ford Motor Company

VP Marketing - Consumer Marketing and Product Strategy, Ford India (5 mos)

General Manager - Consumer Marketing, Ford India (2 yrs 5 mos)

SUV & Commercial Vehicle Brand & Product Manager, Asia Pacific & Africa (1 yr 7 mos)

Softprojex Limited

Country Manager, Australia (1 yr)

Isoft Systems UK

Business Development Manager, UK (7 mos)

Ford Motor Company

Deputy Brand Manager, Ford India (9 mos)

Senior Financial Analyst, Ford India (1 yr 9 mos)

IFCI LIMITED

Project Finance Manager (2 yrs 5 mos)

Education

Fellow at Australian Institute of Company Directors

Executive Education at MIT Sloan School of Management

Executive Education at Columbia Business School

MFC at Master of Financial Control, Delhi University

Executive Education at The Tuck School of Business at Dartmouth

Executive Education at Columbia Business School

BSc at BSc (H) Statistics, Delhi University

Certification at Microsoft & Linkedin Learning

Sriram Padmanabhan

CEO

Mulgrave, Victoria, Australia23 yrs 6 mos experience

Most Likely To SwitchHighly Stable

Key Highlights

Pioneered subscription model in India during COVID.
Led Nissan Oceania through brand and product reinvention.
Scaled Ford's retail performance across Asia Pacific.

Stackforce AI infers this person is a seasoned automotive marketing leader with a focus on digital transformation and customer experience.

Contact

Skills

Other Skills

AnalysisAnalyticsArtificial Intelligence for BusinessAutomobileAutomotiveB2BBrand ManagementBusiness DevelopmentBusiness PlanningBusiness StrategyCRMCompetitive AnalysisCross-functional Team LeadershipCustomer InsightCustomer Retention

About

Experience

23 yrs 6 mos

Total Experience

2 yrs 11 mos

Average Tenure

7 yrs 5 mos

Current Experience

Nissan motor corporation

3 roles

Director Business Transformation

Promoted

Aug 2025 – Present · 10 mos

Appointed by Chief Commercial Officer, Nissan AMIEO Region, to lead overall transformation for Nissan India, driving complexity reduction and accelerate new product launches by adapting global-to-local launch strategies.

Chief Marketing Officer - Marketing, Product Strategy, Car Flow Management & Customer Experience

Jul 2022 – Jul 2025 · 3 yrs

Director and Management Committee Member for Nissan Australia responsible for Marketing Communication, Brand, Sponsorships, Product Management, Car Flow, Customer Experience.

Director Marketing, Sales Operations, Corporate Strategy, Nissan India

Dec 2018 – Jul 2022 · 3 yrs 7 mos

Received Global Presidents Award for the success Nissan Magnite Launch in India and Launch of Nissan's first ever Subscription Ownership Plans, enhancing accessibility during pandemic disruptions
Directed and Executed Nissan's India product & marketing strategy as Management Operating Committee member, aligning product portfolio planning with emerging market opportunities.

Sewells msxi

Director -Ford Academy Europe - Customer Experience, Dealer Business Management, Training

Aug 2017 – Nov 2018 · 1 yr 3 mos · Cologne Area, Germany

As the Academy Director, led the implementation of a holistic Dealer network health and customer experience initiative for Ford across the European National Sales Companies. The Ford Academy is an established and proven data driven model that has delivered tangible business results in Ford Asia Pacific and Middle East markets.

Code red marketing

General Manager, chief executive overseeing a retail marketing organization, Australia

Jun 2013 – Jul 2017 · 4 yrs 1 mo · Melbourne, Australia

Chief executive overseeing national sales, account management, all operations, strategic planning with full profit and loss accountability. Leading the organization strategy as a Retail Marketing and Data Service business driving customer retention, customer acquisition and revenue enhancement strategy through digital marketing, effective customer engagement (across all departments – sales, service, parts) and data analytics, in the Automotive industry in Australia.

Ford motor company

3 roles

VP Marketing - Consumer Marketing and Product Strategy, Ford India

Promoted

Dec 2012 – May 2013 · 5 mos

Chief Marketing Officer, leading the “Cradle to Grave” development of 5-year product planning cycle in line with market opportunities and brand favourability enhancement for pricing power.
Delivering the customer voice to define future business strategy for Ford in India, managed variable & fixed marketing budgets and product profit contribution.

General Manager - Consumer Marketing, Ford India

Promoted

Aug 2010 – Jan 2013 · 2 yrs 5 mos

Responsible for developing and implementing an integrated marketing & launch strategy - to deliver revenue and share objectives for Ford in India.
Responsible to align product growth strategies and service strategies with marketing / brand building initiatives for Ford in India. Part of the management team delivering the business growth strategy for Ford in India

SUV & Commercial Vehicle Brand & Product Manager, Asia Pacific & Africa

Jan 2009 – Aug 2010 · 1 yr 7 mos

Delivered and implemented integrated marketing launch & communication strategies for global products being launched in the Asia Pacific & Africa Region (Australia, South Africa, ASEAN, China, India).
Led the global reveal and launch of the all new Global Pick-up out of Australia.

Softprojex limited

Country Manager, Australia

Jan 2001 – Jan 2002 · 1 yr · Sydney , Australia

Established the branch in Australia from scratch - Overall entrepreneurial responsibility of setting up, Legal, HR, Finance, Business Development.
Cash positive operations by the end of 1 year tenure in Australia through self generated business.

Isoft systems uk

Business Development Manager, UK

Jun 2000 – Jan 2001 · 7 mos · Bangalore / London

Responsibilities included Recruitment of IT senior management for international assignments and Setting up operations for Isoft in UK.

Ford motor company

2 roles

Deputy Brand Manager, Ford India

Sep 1999 – Jun 2000 · 9 mos

Supported the launch of 1999 / 2000 Ford Ikon launch in India. Part of the team which developed the marketing and launch strategy for Ford Ikon the Josh Machine.
Singularly responsible for all ground level activation of the Ford Ikon Launch in India - managed all Ford Ikon events, 80 city nationwide roadshows, sponsorship tie-ups with travel partners / Suppliers / finance partners during the launch phase.