Auto veteran Sergio Marchionne had deep ties with Anand Mahindra, Ratan Tata

By Shannon Tellis

The sudden death of FCA chief Sergio Marchionne last month left many auto industry veterans shocked, including those on the home front. Mahindra Group chairman Anand Mahindra recently tweeted his condolences to the extended FCA family and recalled the moment he met Marchionne. “I met Sergio only once, but it was clear in an instant that he was a giant among men.”




A pretty apt description for the man who rescued both Fiat and Chrysler from economic ruin and led the brand to become the seventh-largest automaker in the world.

But Mahindra isn’t the only Indian connect to Marchionne. The former FCA chief reportedly loved India and was close friends with Ratan Tata. It was through their relationship that the Jeep Compass came to India. In a 2008 interview, Marchionne said, “We’ve had differences of view which have been quickly reconciled, but never a fundamental disagreement. There are times I discuss the weirdest things with Ratan, but that is the way we are. We are friends first and businessmen second.”