Karl Slym, Managing Director of Tata Motors, looks on during a news conference in Mumbai on November 8, 2013
Tata Motors' Managing Director Karl Slym today died in Bangkok where he had gone to attend a board meeting of the company's Thailand arm.
"The company shares the grief of Karl Slym's wife and family at their irreparable loss," Tata Motors said in a statement.
Slym, 51, joined Tata Motors in 2012, and was providing leadership to the company through a challenging market environment.
According to the company spokesperson, Slym seems to have fallen from a higher floor of a hotel in Bangkok. Expressing condolence at the sudden demise of Slym, Tata Motors Chairman Cyrus P Mistry said: "I am deeply saddened to inform you about the untimely and tragic demise of our company's Managing Director, Karl Slym."
Slym was visiting Bangkok for a meeting of the Board of Directors of Tata Motors Thailand Ltd, he said.
"Karl joined us in October 2012, and 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," he said.
Before joining Tata Motors, Slym was the executive vice president, SGMW Motors, China (a General Motors Joint Venture). Prior to that, he was president, managing director and board member of General Motors in India between 2007-11.
For over two decades, Slym was with Toyota and General Motors in various positions across geographies.