Ajeet Nikam has been appointed as the Platform Engineering Head and Department Head for EV and ICE Platforms at Mahindra Group. In his new role, Ajeet will be responsible for leading the integration, architecture, and overall engineering strategy for Mahindra’s electric and internal combustion engine vehicle platforms — a pivotal role as the company advances its transition toward next-generation mobility solutions.
With over 18 years of experience in the automotive industry, Nikam brings deep expertise in vehicle architecture, benchmarking, program management, and engineering lifecycle operations. Before joining Mahindra, he served as the Vehicle Architecture Lead Engineer at VinFast, where he contributed to strategic R&D initiatives and helped shape vehicle programs for the growing EV market in Southeast Asia. His prior tenure at Stellantis (formerly Fiat Chrysler Automobiles) in Pune spanned over seven years, where he held key roles in vehicle integration and validation, ergonomics, and system packaging.
Nikam began his career with Lear Corporation and has since built a robust track record across both Indian and international automotive giants including Tech Mahindra and Ukay Industries. His leadership in engineering change management, product development, and VAVE (Value Analysis and Value Engineering) initiatives has consistently driven operational excellence and innovation.
A graduate in Automobile Engineering from RIT, India, with a diploma from PDVVP Ahmednagar, Nikam is known for his hands-on approach to team management and product lifecycle execution. At Mahindra, he is expected to play a critical role in aligning platform engineering strategies with global standards, ensuring seamless integration of design, performance, and sustainability across Mahindra’s evolving vehicle lineup.