After years of disappointment, French carmaker Renault has decided to alter the way it will function in India in the hope of reviving its dwindling fortunes. Instead of having multiple entities report back to its headquarters in Paris, Renault will integrate all its India operations and put it under one roof, Renault Group India. By September manufacturing, design and research and development (R&D) will be under the common umbrella. This, the company hopes, will streamline operations and help facilitate fusion among entities in the current structure.
To make that happen, the company has brought 52-year-old Stephane Deblaise to lead the charge from September 1. Considered an old hand, Deblaise has been with the company for 21 years working across its offices in France, Korea and China. “It will be a one-chef kitchen for Renault in India going forward,” said a top official of Renault India. “In the past there were too many cooks. All that will be brought under one roof now. This will help us adapt to consumer changes quicker with regards to choice of fuel and vehicle body shape while adhering to the regulatory requirements.”
That chef is Deblaise who will report to Francois Provost, Renault Group Chief of Procurement, Partnerships and Public Affairs Officer.
Korean playbook comes to India
Since 2022, Deblaise has been serving as the CEO of Renault Korea, where he led key transformation initiatives, including positioning the company as a global development and production hub for mid- and large-sized vehicles and modernising the Busan plant for multi-energy vehicle production.
Under Deblaise, Renault achieved a 7% increase in domestic volumes in Korea in the first half of 2025 compared to the time when he took over the reins, with a slight increase in market share to 3.4% from 3.3%. Deblaise was instrumental in launching the Koleos SUV in 2024, which went on to become Renault’s best-selling model, accounting for 90% of its total volumes in Korea.
Korea’s domestic market is traditionally dominated by two homegrown brands – Hyundai and Kia – which together control nearly 70% of the market. As a result, foreign brands, including heavyweight General Motors, have struggled to find a foot in the door.
The biggest names in the global automotive world – Volkswagen, Fiat, Ford, Honda, Toyota, Suzuki – could not crack the Korean market and gave up eventually. But Renault has continued to pursue volumes in that market despite its relatively smaller presence.
In fact, under Deblaise, Renault kickstarted a significant rebranding exercise that saw it shedding its previous moniker, Renault Korea Motors, to become Renault Korea. The shift is marked by the adoption of the French automaker’s original diamond logo, bidding adieu to the ‘storm’s eye’ emblem inherited from Samsung Motors when it was acquired 24 years ago.
Indian strategy
While India does not have such a major rebranding challenge or a duopolistic market, Deblaise will not find the going easy. The market size is much bigger and the number of competitors is more than double compared to Korea.
While in 2024 the Korean market for new passenger cars clocked 1.35 million units, the Indian market closed FY25 with a volume of 4.3 million. The top five brands – Maruti Suzuki, Mahindra & Mahindra, Tata Motors, Hyundai and Toyota – controlled 88% of the domestic market.
With sales of 37,900 units Renault’s share in FY25 was less than 1%. Before Deblaise took charge of Renault’s Korea operations in 2022, India was ranked seventh on the list of Renault’s largest global markets while Korea was 10th. In 2025, Korea is ranked 11th and India has crashed to the 15th spot.
A rejuvenation of the Renault brand and its product offering will be on Deblaise’s priority list. The French car brand has been struggling in India due to its limited product portfolio and a weak brand presence. No new nameplate has been added by the company in India since early 2021 with the last model being the Kiger. In comparison, its rivals are adding one new model every six months.
A few days ago, Renault introduced the Triber upgrade in India, complete with a new brand identity. It is the first product in India to get the new 2D Renault logo. The company has promised multiple product launches that could include the comeback of the Duster, which was at one point the best-selling SUV in India.
