Mumbai, Aug. 5: Mahindra & Mahindra (M&M) today announced key appointments at the top management level.

Rajesh Jejurikar has been appointed chief of operations and Rajan Wadhera chief of engineering and development, while Louis Pereira will take over as the CEO of Mahindra Automotive Ltd.

All appointments are effective from August 1, 2008.

As chief of operations, Jejurikar will head “end to end operations’’, M&M said in a statement today.

In addition to his sales and marketing functions, Jejurikar will look after the manufacturing division.

Apart from product engineering and development, Wadhera will manage the materials management segment. Pereira will oversee the development of the Chakan plant in Maharashtra.

He will also be responsible for the functioning of the plant, which will manufacture new products of M&M and Mahindra Navistar Automotives Ltd.

Meanwhile, Mahindra Renault Pvt Ltd, the joint venture between M&M and Renault of France, has appointed Nalin Mehta as chief executive officer.

He will succeed Jejurikar who will step down as managing director of the company from October 1.

Jejurikar will, however, continue on the board of Mahindra Renault Pvt Ltd.

“My congratulations to Nalin on his new appoint. Since the inception of Mahindra Renault, Nalin has played a significant role in the success of the Logan, which is among the top three selling sedans in India today. I am sure he will continue to steer the company to new heights as the Logan begins its global foray,” said Pawan Goenka, president, automotive sector, M&M Ltd.