Sudarshan Venu
{{short description|Indian businessman}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=October 2024}}
{{Infobox person
| name = Sudarshan Venu
| image = Sudarshan Venu Big.jpg
| alt =
| caption = Sudarshan Venu
| nationality = Indian
| occupation = Entrepreneur, Business executive
| known_for = Managing Director of TVS Motor Company
| alma_mater = University of Pennsylvania, Wharton School, University of Warwick
| spouse = Tara Sam (m. 2014)
| birth_date = {{Birth date and age|1989|2|1|df=y}}
| mother = Mallika Srinivasan
| father = Venu Srinivasan
| family = TVS family
| title = Managing director of TVS Motor
| relatives = Lakshmi Venu (sister)
| awards = Young Global Leaders by World Economic Forum (2023)
}}
Sudarshan Venu is an Indian entrepreneur and business executive,{{cite news |last1=N |first1=Madhavan|title=Sudarshan Venu's fresh thoughts for TVS Motor |url=https://www.forbesindia.com/article/generation-next-of-india-inc./sudarshan-venus-fresh-thoughts-for-tvs-motor/42629/1 |work=Forbes India |date=14 March 2016}} currently serving as the Managing Director of TVS Motor Company, a position he assumed in May 2022.{{cite news |title=Sudarshan Venu elevated as new Managing Director of TVS Motor |url=https://www.businesstoday.in/latest/story/sudarshan-venu-elevated-as-new-managing-director-of-tvs-motor-332477-2022-05-05 |publisher=Business Today |date=5 May 2022}}
He was named as a Young Global Leaders by the World Economic Forum in 2023{{cite news |title=Aaditya Thackeray, TVS MD Sudarshan Venu on WEF Young Global Leaders list |url=https://www.hindustantimes.com/india-news/aaditya-thackeray-tvs-md-sudarshan-venu-on-wef-young-global-leaders-list-101678789829455.html |publisher=Hindustan Times |date=14 March 2023}} and was included in Fortune India's 40 Under 40 list for 2024.
Early life and education
Sudarshan Venu was born on 1 February 1989 in the TVS family to Venu Srinivasan and Mallika Srinivasan.{{cite web |url=https://www.tvsmotor.com/-/media/e717c96af7c0483d838b0b8ed1c16051.ashx |title=TVS MOTOR COMPANY LIMITED Notice to Shareholders |website=tvsmotor.com |access-date=4 June 2024 |publisher=TVS Motor Company}} He graduated from the University of Pennsylvania with Mechanical Engineering and Economics degrees.
Venu also holds a postgraduate degree in International Technology Management from the Warwick Manufacturing Group, University of Warwick, UK. During his master's studies, he underwent training at the Die Casting division of Sundaram-Clayton Limited and TVS Motor Company Limited.{{cite news |last1=Lakshmi|first1=Kumarswami|title=Wheel of Fortune: Sudarshan Venu, works hard to bring TVS Motor' back to top spot |url=https://www.indiatoday.in/magazine/cover-story/story/20121224-sudarshan-venu-has-been-spearheading-tvs-motors-endeavour-to-claw-back-to-the-top-spot-in-the-two-wheeler-segment-761041-1999-11-29 |publisher=India Today |date=24 December 2012}}{{cite news |title=India Inc's GenNext club |url=https://www.ndtv.com/photos/business/india-incs-gennext-club-11327#photo-145283 |publisher=NDTV |date=14 September 2011}}
Career
Venu's career has been with the TVS Group, a Chennai-based conglomerate founded by his great-grandfather.{{cite news |title=Meet Sudarshan Venu, as he rides in to steady TVS Motor |url=https://www.business-standard.com/article/companies/meet-sudarshan-venu-as-he-rides-in-to-steady-tvs-motor-113072000301_1.html |publisher=Business Standard |date=20 July 2013}}{{cite news |last1=Philip |first1=Liji |title=Will members of the fourth generation of TVS Group take more risks? |url=https://economictimes.indiatimes.com/news/company/corporate-trends/will-members-of-the-fourth-generation-of-tvs-group-take-more-risks/articleshow/46913047.cms?from=mdr |publisher=The Economic Times|date=9 September 2015}} He joined the board of Sundaram Clayton, the holding company of TVS Motor Company, in 2011{{cite news |title=Sudarshan Venu joins Sundaram-Clayton Board of Directors |url=https://www.moneylife.in/article/sudarshan-venu-joins-sundaram-clayton-board-of-directors/19437.html |publisher=Moneylife|date=5 September 2011}}{{cite news |last1=Nandini Sen|first1=Gupta|title=Bigger role for Sudarshan at TVS |url=https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/business/india-business/bigger-role-for-sudarshan-at-tvs/articleshow/18281585.cms |work=The Times of India |date=1 February 2013}} and was appointed Vice President later that year.{{cite news |title=Sudarshan Venu joins TVS board |url=https://www.thehindu.com/business/sudarshan-venu-joins-tvs-board/article4370056.ece |work=The Hindu |date=2 February 2013}} In 2013, he became a full-time Director of TVS Motor Company.{{cite news |last1=Arundhati|first1=Ramanathan|title=Sudarshan Venu joins TVS Motor board as additional director |url=https://www.livemint.com/Companies/ra9D0eB2ILhQRNP3HGy77K/Sudarshan-Venu-joins-TVS-Motor-board-as-additional-director.html |publisher=Mint |date=1 February 2013}}
Venu served as Joint Managing Director of TVS Motor Company from 2014{{cite news |title=Sudarshan Venu is Joint MD of TVS Motor |url=https://economictimes.indiatimes.com/tvs-motor-appoints-sudarshan-venu-as-joint-m-d/articleshow/42177743.cms?from=mdr |publisher=The Economic Times |date=11 September 2014}} to 2022.{{cite news |title=TVS Motor re-appoints Sudarshan Venu as Joint MD for five years |url=https://www.newindianexpress.com/pti-news/2017/dec/24/tvs-motor-re-appoints-sudarshan-venu-as-joint-md-for-five-years-1736079.html |publisher=The New Indian Express|date=24 December 2017}} He played a key role in the company's international expansion into Africa, Southeast Asia, Latin America, and Europe.{{cite news |title=Newsmaker of 2020: Sudarshan Venu |url=https://www.autocarpro.in/feature/newsmaker-of-2020-sudarshan-venu-78112 |publisher=Autocarpro |date=January 4, 2021}} During his tenure, TVS Motor acquired Norton Motorcycles in 2020 and EGO Movement in 2021.{{cite news |last1=Thakkar |first1=Ketan |title=TVS Motor enters Europe's e-bike market, acquires Swiss company EGO Movement |url=https://economictimes.indiatimes.com/industry/renewables/tvs-motor-enters-europes-e-bike-market-acquires-swiss-company-ego-movement/articleshow/86260080.cms |publisher=The Economic Times |date=September 17, 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211006162005/http://economictimes.indiatimes.com/industry/renewables/tvs-motor-enters-europes-e-bike-market-acquires-swiss-company-ego-movement/articleshow/86260080.cms?from=mdr |archive-date=October 6, 2021}}
In February 2022, Sudarshan Venu was elected as an Additional Director of Coromandel International for a period of five years.{{cite news |title=Board of Coromandel International appoints Sudarshan Venu as Additional Director |url=https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/board-of-coromandel-international-appoints-sudarshan-venu-as-additional-director/articleshow/89326880.cms |work=The Times of India |date=3 February 2022}} He is also the chairman of TVS Credit Services.{{cite news |title=TVS Credit raises ₹480 crore capital from Premji Invest |url=https://www.thehindubusinessline.com/companies/tvs-credit-raises-rs480-cr-capital-from-premji-invest/article66951539.ece |publisher=Business Line |date=9 June 2023}} He is a member of the Government of India's National Board for Electric Mobility.{{cite news |title=Government sets up National Board for Electric Mobility |url=https://m.economictimes.com/industry/energy/power/government-sets-up-national-board-for-electric-mobility/articleshow/57989630.cms |publisher=The Economic Times |date=April 3, 2017}} In August 2023, he was elected as a member of the Board of Trustees for the Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanams Trust.{{cite news |title=Sudarshan Venu takes oath as TTD member-trustee |url=https://www.thehindubusinessline.com/news/sudarshan-venu-takes-oath-as-ttd-member-trustee/article67242395.ece |publisher=Business Line|date=August 27, 2023}}
Personal life
Awards and recognition
- In 2012, he was included in India Today magazine's list of "37 Indians of Tomorrow," which recognized individuals under 35 across various fields. He was ranked 20th on the list.{{cite news |title=Indians of Tomorrow |url=https://www.indiatoday.in/india/photo/indians-of-tomorrow-368873-2012-12-13/21 |publisher=India Today |date=December 2012 }}
- He was awarded the Corporate Citizen of the Year by The Economic Times in 2016.{{cite news |title=The winners of the 2016 ET Awards |url=https://economictimes.indiatimes.com/corporate-industry/here-are-the-winners-of-the-2016-et-awards/all-the-winners/slideshow/56039930.cms |publisher=The Economic Times |date=17 December 2016}}
- In 2017, he was named one of the Economic Times 40 Under 40.{{cite news |last1=Rebello |first1=Maleeva |last2=Reddy |first2=Sujata |last3=Menon |first3=Rashmi |title=Fab 40: Diet & exercise keep Hero, TVS, Wockhardt Gen-Y bosses in shape |url=https://economictimes.indiatimes.com/magazines/panache/fab-and-under-40-fitness-mantras-of-hot-shot-business-leaders/articleshow/59522532.cms |publisher=The Economic Times |date=10 July 2017}}
- In 2023, the World Economic Forum named him a Young Global Leader.
- In August 2023, he received the Moneycontrol's Next-Gen Leader of the Year Award at the Indian Family Business Awards.{{cite news |title=Indian Family Business Award 2022: Sudarshan Venu, the Next-Gen Leader for TVS Motor Company |url=https://www.moneycontrol.com/news/business/indian-family-business-award-2022-sudarshan-venu-the-next-gen-leader-for-tvs-motor-company-11221901.html |publisher=Moneycontrol|date=19 August 2023}}
- In 2024, Venu was included in the Fortune India's 40 Under 40 list of India's brightest young business leaders.{{cite news |title=Fortune 40 Under 40 list 2024 |url=https://www.fortuneindia.com/40under40/sudarshan-venu?year=2024 |publisher=Fortune India |date=May 2024}}
References
{{reflist}}
Category:Indian business executives
Category:People in the automobile industry
Category:World Economic Forum Young Global Leaders
Category:21st-century Indian businesspeople
Category:University of Pennsylvania alumni
Category:Wharton School alumni