Daimler Truck Innovation Center India Appoints Radhakrishnan Kodakkal as CEO

Bangalore - Daimler Truck Innovation Center India Private Limited., a premier captive research, IT, and product development unit, has appointed Radhakrishnan Kodakkal as its Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer. In his new role, Kodakkal will lead efforts to strengthen DTICI’s engineering and digital capabilities while driving faster innovation in partnership with Daimler Truck’s global product engineering, technology, and IT teams. He will also focus on expanding India’s role across engineering, software, digital platforms, and IT operations, further positioning the centre as a key innovation and delivery hub within the company’s global network.

Kodakkal brings more than three decades of global leadership experience across technology, engineering, and research and development in multinational organizations. Prior to this appointment, he served as Global Head of Integrated Technology and as Vice President and Head of the Global Technology and Engineering Centre at Whirlpool Corporation, where he led global technology strategy, managed R&D and engineering operations, and drove cross-functional innovation across multiple regions.

Mr. Thomas Ulm, Chairman of DTICI, said “Kodakkal’s extensive background in technology and engineering, combined with his global leadership experience, will further strengthen the centre’s role as a trusted innovation hub within Daimler Truck’s worldwide engineering and IT network.” Also recognized the contributions of Vaidya, noting that DTICI grew substantially under his leadership and became a key part of Daimler Truck’s global ecosystem.

Commenting on his new role, Kodakkal said the automotive industry is going through a major transformation and that DTICI has become an important technology and innovation hub for the company.

He added that he is eager to work closely with global teams to deliver scalable, sustainable, and future-ready solutions. The leadership change also highlights Daimler Truck AG’s continued commitment to India as a strategic centre for engineering, digital innovation, and IT excellence, supporting the company’s long-term vision for connected and sustainable transportation.

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