KARL LSLIM SAD DEMISE

Tata Motors Managing Director Karl Slym today died after apparently falling from a hotel building in Bangkok where he had gone to attend a board meeting of the company's Thailand arm. According to a company spokesperson, Slym seems to have fallen from a higher floor of a hotel in Bangkok. The post-mortem will take place tomorrow, the spokesperson added. Slym, 51, was leading the company at a time when the auto industry was grappling with prolonged slowdown. He joined the auto major in 2012 as part of a major management overhaul and was responsible for charting out the company's strategy to regain momentum in the domestic market. Expressing condolence at the sudden demise, Tata Motors Chairman Cyrus P Mistry said: "Karl (Slym) 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." Slym was visiting Bangkok for a meeting of the Board of Directors of Tata Motors Thailand Ltd, he added. As part of restructuring exercise Slym last week had announced a voluntary retirement scheme to a section of employees to rationalise costs.