The jury recognised his
achievements as a CEO which included adaptability to change, vision for India,
strategic approach, and innovative thinking. The jury was chaired by Harsh
Mariwala, Chairman, Marico Ltd. and included Sanjay Nayar, CEO, KKR India;
Noshir Kaka, Managing Director, McKinsey India; Zia Mody, Managing Partner, AZB
& Partners; Roopa Kudva, Managing Director, Omidyar Network and Manish
Sabharwal, Chairman & Co-Founder, TeamLease Services.
Ayukawa, who earlier served in
the US, Japan and Pakistan, took over as MD & CEO of Maruti Suzuki in 2013.
In recent years, the Company has launched highly successful models like Baleno,
Brezza, Ciaz, Celerio and S Cross. It has also redefined the car buying
experience and attracted new categories of customers through its new channel,
Nexa,
Maruti Suzuki led the market
in introducing the popular Auto Gear Shift technology in India, starting with
Celerio in 2014 and in other popular models like Alto K-10, WagonR and DZire
Diesel. The Company’s mild hybrid technology (SHVS), introduced in Ciaz and
Ertiga, has boosted sales, besides benefitting the environment and supporting
the Government’s FAME initiative.