Karl Slym, managing director of Tata Motors, has died after falling from his room at a hotel in Bangkok.

UK national Slym, 51, was in the Thai capital on business.

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“The company shares the grief of Karl Slym’s wife and family at their irreparable loss,” Tata Motors said in a statement.

“Karl was a valued colleague who was providing strong leadership at a challenging time for the Indian auto industry. In this hour of grief, our thoughts are with Karl’s wife and family,” Tata Motors Chairman Cyrus Mistry said in a statement.

Slym’s appointment at Tata Motors in 2012 followed the resignation of Carl-Peter Forster (for personal reasons).

Prior to joining Tata, Slym was executive vice president and a board member at GM joint venture SAIC-GM-Wuling in China. Previously he had worked as President, Managing Director and Board Member of GM in India. He had a 17-year career with GM in various countries.

The board of Tata Motors is likely to announce an interim MD later this week.


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