Titan's CK Venkataraman to retire after 35 years; Ajoy Chawla to take over as MD

New Delhi: CK Venkataraman (Venkat), the current Managing Director of Titan Company, will retire from the services of the Company on December 31, 2025, on attaining the age of superannuation as per the Tata Group's retirement policy. 

Ajoy Chawla (Ajoy), currently the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the Company's Jewellery Division, will succeed Venkat as the Managing Director with effect from January 1, 2026.

Venkat had joined Titan in the year 1990 and became the Managing Director on October 1, 2019.

Chawla graduated as a Mechanical Engineer from VJTI Mumbai and then did his PGDM from IIM-Calcutta. He became part of the Tata Administrative Services (TAS) in 1990 and initially joined the finance department of Titan in 1991. 

Over the next two decades, he was in the Watches Division, and played several roles spanning Commercial, Sales, Retailing, Supply chain, SAP implementation, leading accessories and licensed brands as SBU Head and then heading the Titan SBU for Domestic and International. 

Between 2013 and 2019, Chawla was the Chief Strategy Officer of Titan, as well as heading Business Incubation, scaling the Fragrances business and establishing the Taneira business.

In October 2019, Chawla became the CEO of Titan’s Jewellery Division.

The formal process to induct Ajoy on the Board of the Company and his appointment as Managing Director of Titan will be completed in due course, and the same is subject to the shareholders' approval.

CK Venkataraman, Managing Director of Titan, said, "On behalf of the entire Titan team, I welcome Ajoy to lead Titan in its next phase of innovation and growth. With his strong customer obsession, people orientation, partnering impulse and focus on creating value, Ajoy is well qualified to shepherd Titan towards even greater glory and scale.”