Prior to this appointment, he served as Vice President – Group Category at bigbasket, where he played a pivotal role in driving category transformation, strengthening private label portfolios, enhancing merchandising capabilities, and scaling several high-growth business verticals.

Before joining bigbasket, Vishal held multiple leadership positions at ITC Limited, including Head of Buying & Merchandising, Group Category Manager, and National Category Manager – General Merchandise. His earlier experience also includes roles as Cluster Manager at Kmart and Hypermarket Manager at Choithrams.

His appointment comes at a crucial time as bigbasket continues to strengthen its retail proposition, private brands portfolio, and merchandising strategy amid rapid growth and evolving consumer demand. In his new role, Vishal will be responsible for leading the company’s buying and merchandising functions, with a focus on driving assortment excellence, category innovation, and profitable growth.

At the helm of bigbasket’s buying and merchandising functions, Vishal will play a pivotal role in defining the company’s retail strategy, driving best-in-class assortment curation, fostering category innovation, and delivering transformative growth across multiple business segments.

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Kankaria brings extensive leadership experience spanning consumer goods, telecommunications, business transformation, and profit-and-loss management. His appointment underscores Coca-Cola’s focus on strengthening operational capabilities and driving sustainable growth across its markets.

Before joining Coca-Cola, Kankaria served as CEO, Mumbai Circle at Bharti Airtel, where he oversaw one of the telecom operator’s most significant markets. Prior to Airtel, he spent more than 14 years with Unilever, holding a range of leadership positions across sales, marketing, category management, business integration, and general management.

During his tenure at Unilever, Kankaria held key roles including Business Unit Head – Nutrition, Foods and Refreshments for Unilever Bangladesh; General Manager – Nutrition Integration and M&A; Regional Marketing Manager, South Asia; Regional Brand Manager, South Asia; Key Account Manager, Modern Trade; Area Sales and Customer Manager; and Business Leadership Trainee. He played a pivotal role in managing and growing leading brands such as Horlicks, Boost, Knorr, Kissan, Blue Band, Hellmann’s and several other nutrition and food brands across South Asia.

Over the course of his career, Kankaria has built expertise in general management, operations, marketing, mergers and acquisitions, business integration, innovation, and strategic leadership. His experience in managing large-scale businesses and leading complex transformation initiatives positions him well to support Coca-Cola’s continued operational and commercial growth.

The post Aditya Kankaria Joins The Coca-Cola Company as Senior Director, Integrated Operations appeared first on Business of Food.

In his new role as Chief Projects and Customer Experience Officer, Sujoy will focus on enhancing customer satisfaction, spearheading transformational initiatives, and ensuring seamless execution of strategic projects across the company. His appointment comes at a time when customer experience continues to be a key differentiator in the rapidly evolving e-commerce and quick commerce landscape. A seasoned leader with more than a decade of experience at bigbasket, Sujoy has been instrumental in shaping the company’s growth journey through various leadership roles. His deep understanding of operations, customer behavior, project execution, and business strategy has enabled him to deliver impactful results across multiple regions and business verticals.

Prior to his elevation, Sujoy served as National Head – Projects and Business Head South, where he was responsible for overseeing key markets and managing a diverse portfolio of businesses. His leadership extended across several high-growth segments, including quick commerce, slotted delivery, subscription services, B2B operations, and smart vending solutions.

Throughout his tenure, Sujoy has successfully led large-scale projects aimed at improving operational efficiency, optimizing customer journeys, and driving sustainable business growth. His ability to balance strategic vision with execution excellence has earned him recognition as a trusted leader within the organization. Speaking through his continued commitment to innovation and excellence, Sujoy’s leadership is expected to play a pivotal role in strengthening bigbasket’s market position and delivering superior value to customers nationwide.

Known for his customer-first approach and strong execution capabilities, Sujoy has successfully managed large-scale projects, driven operational excellence, and delivered business growth across diverse markets. His expertise spans project leadership, business strategy, customer-centric operations, and organizational transformation.

As CPCxO, Sujoy Jana will lead key strategic projects and customer experience initiatives, helping bigbasket further strengthen its position as a leader in India’s digital commerce and grocery retail ecosystem.

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Through his journey, he has had some unique experiences as a professional. His extensive experience as an investor across a wide range of sectors and businesses brings a strong financial and strategic perspective to his leadership approach. Having evaluated growth opportunities, business models, and market dynamics across diverse industries, Pranav possesses a nuanced understanding of value creation, capital allocation, and sustainable scaling. This breadth of experience uniquely positions him to drive commercial performance, identify new avenues for growth, and contribute meaningfully to the success of his new role.

Pranav leads the company’s business growth and expansion initiatives across retail, partnerships, and commercial operations. With a strong background in scaling consumer businesses and driving strategic growth, he is focused on accelerating Blue Tokai’s presence across markets while furthering its mission of making speciality coffee accessible to a wider audience. Blue Tokai Coffee Roasters partner with over 80 of India’s finest coffee estates. Their coffee is known for being 100% Arabica, traceable, and roasted fresh. The brand operates over 150 physical cafés and roasteries across India, as well as locations in Dubai and Japan.

At Blue Tokai Coffee Roasters, Pranav Dahiya is all set to play a pivotal role in shaping the company’s next phase of growth. As the speciality coffee segment continues to gain momentum in India, he will focus on expanding the brand’s footprint across existing and new markets, strengthening its omnichannel presence, and enhancing consumer engagement through innovative retail and digital experiences. He is closely working with the leadership team to unlock new growth avenues, deepen strategic partnerships, and further strengthen Blue Tokai’s position as a category leader.

Pranav’s blend of operational expertise, growth-oriented mindset, and strategic vision is expected to support Blue Tokai’s ambition of bringing high-quality Indian specialty coffee to a broader audience, while driving long-term, sustainable growth both in India and internationally.

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The leadership transition marks a significant milestone in BigBasket’s evolution as the company sharpens its focus on quick commerce and enters its next phase of growth in an increasingly competitive market. The move comes at a time when the sector is witnessing intense competition from players including Blinkit, Zepto, Swiggy Instamart, Flipkart Minutes, Amazon Now, and JioMart.

Nanda joins BigBasket after spending more than 11 years at Amazon, where he most recently served as Director, Selling Partner Services. During his tenure, he played a key role in building and scaling large marketplace businesses, developing product and technology capabilities, and driving growth across digital commerce ecosystems.

Commenting on the appointment, Hari Menon said that Nanda’s deep understanding of consumers, proven ability to scale businesses, and extensive experience across e-commerce and consumer sectors position him strongly to lead BigBasket’s next chapter.

For nearly 15 years, Menon has been instrumental in building BigBasket from a startup into one of India’s most trusted consumer platforms. Under his leadership, the company pioneered online grocery retail in India and later expanded into quick commerce, helping shape the country’s digital grocery ecosystem.

Nanda said he looks forward to building on BigBasket’s customer-first culture and leveraging the strength of the Tata Group to accelerate growth opportunities. He also highlighted the company’s strong private-label portfolio and trusted consumer franchise as key strengths for the future.

The appointment follows a series of leadership enhancements at BigBasket, including the recent elevation of Seshu Kumar Tirumala as Chief Operating Officer and the appointment of Arpit Jaiswal as Chief Growth Officer, underscoring the company’s focus on strengthening its leadership bench as it scales its quick commerce and grocery businesses.

As part of its growth strategy, BigBasket continues to invest in faster delivery capabilities, operational efficiency, and technology-led innovation. The company is positioning itself to capture a larger share of India’s rapidly expanding quick commerce market while leveraging the trust and scale built through its grocery business.

About BigBasket

BigBasket is one of India’s largest online grocery and quick commerce platforms, offering a wide range of products across groceries, fresh fruits and vegetables, household essentials, personal care, and more. Backed by Tata Digital, the company serves millions of customers across multiple cities in India.

The post BigBasket Appoints Amit Nanda as CEO; Hari Menon Transitions to Board Role appeared first on Business of Food.

Compass Group India has appointed Rahul Shinde as Managing Director, bringing one of the foodservice industry’s most experienced growth and operations leaders into one of India’s largest institutional food and facility management businesses.

The appointment comes as workplace dining emerges as an increasingly strategic component of employee experience across corporate campuses, Global Capability Centres (GCCs), manufacturing facilities, healthcare institutions and educational campuses. Employers are investing more heavily in food programmes that support employee wellness, productivity and engagement, creating new opportunities for organised foodservice operators.

Compass Group India is already among the country’s largest players in the sector. The company operates across more than 45 cities, serves over 1.1 million meals every day, manages more than 235 million sq. ft. of facilities, employs over 42,000 people and runs eight central kitchens. The scale of these operations places it at the intersection of some of India’s fastest-growing workplace and institutional ecosystems.

For Compass Group, the challenge is no longer limited to delivering meals efficiently. Clients increasingly expect restaurant-quality food, greater menu variety, healthier options, digital ordering capabilities, sustainability-led operations and data-driven service delivery. As workplace expectations evolve, institutional dining is beginning to borrow ideas from the restaurant industry, creating demand for a new generation of foodservice leadership.

Shinde brings a career spanning strategy consulting, retail transformation and quick-service restaurant operations across India, Southeast Asia, Europe and North America.

Most recently, he served as Chief Executive Officer and Whole-Time Director of Devyani International Limited, India’s largest franchisee of Yum! Brands. During his tenure, the company accelerated expansion across brands such as KFC and Pizza Hut, strengthened digital capabilities, modernised operations and further scaled one of India’s largest organised restaurant portfolios.

Prior to Devyani International, Shinde was General Manager for KFC Greater Asia, overseeing nearly 2,000 restaurants across markets including Japan, Indonesia and South Korea, while also working closely with KFC China, the brand’s largest operator globally.

His earlier leadership assignments included Managing Director, KFC Indian Subcontinent, and Chief Operations Excellence Officer for KFC Great Britain. He also held corporate strategy and transformation roles at Yum! Brands, McKinsey & Company and US retailer JCPenney, building expertise in growth strategy, supply-chain optimisation, analytics and operational excellence.

One of the defining themes throughout his career has been the use of technology to improve customer experience, operational efficiency and business performance. Across multiple markets, he has led initiatives focused on digital engagement, advanced analytics, organisational transformation and next-generation operating models.

His experience spans both franchisor and franchisee environments, providing a rare combination of brand stewardship, operational execution and stakeholder management. Combined with a PhD in Industrial Engineering from the University of Wisconsin–Madison, where his research focused on inventory management and large-scale supply chains, Shinde brings a strong analytical and systems-driven approach to business leadership.

For Compass Group India, his appointment aligns with a broader opportunity unfolding across the institutional foodservices landscape. India’s GCC sector continues to expand rapidly, large manufacturing investments are creating new employment hubs, and healthcare and education infrastructure are scaling across the country. Each of these sectors represents a growing demand pool for organised foodservice and support services.

The workplace cafeteria itself is undergoing a transformation. Digital ordering, cashless transactions, personalised nutrition, wellness-led menus, food traceability and sustainability initiatives are becoming increasingly important to clients and consumers alike. Foodservice operators are being asked to deliver experiences that rival modern restaurants while maintaining the efficiency and consistency required at institutional scale.

Against this backdrop, Compass Group India’s decision to bring in a leader with deep expertise in scaling consumer-facing food businesses signals its intent to strengthen its position in a market that is becoming larger, more sophisticated and increasingly experience-driven.

For Rahul Shinde, the move marks a return to building and scaling businesses in India. For Compass Group India, it represents an investment in leadership capable of navigating the convergence of food, technology, operations and workplace experience that is reshaping the future of institutional dining.

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Throughout her tenure, Shruti partnered with organizations across industries to drive strategic growth initiatives, enhance commercial performance, and deliver data-driven solutions to complex business challenges. Her expertise lies in translating deep consumer and market insights into actionable strategies that accelerate growth, improve operational effectiveness, and create long-term business value.

At McKinsey, she spearheaded global benchmarking and growth-focused initiatives for consumer-facing organizations, driving impact across key functions including sales, marketing, revenue growth management, innovation, and e-commerce. She also partnered closely with cross-functional teams across North America, Europe, Latin America, and Asia, helping clients develop and execute profitable growth strategies tailored to diverse markets and business environments.

Known for her analytical rigor and ability to distill large volumes of information into clear, impactful narratives, Shruti excels at bridging the gap between data and strategy. Her proficiency in conducting in-depth research, identifying emerging trends, and delivering compelling presentations enables leadership teams to make confident, evidence-based decisions.

Throughout her career, Shruti has worked across diverse business functions, leveraging quantitative and qualitative analysis to solve complex challenges, improve operational efficiency, and support long-term organizational objectives. Her collaborative approach, combined with a keen understanding of business priorities, allows her to effectively engage stakeholders and drive cross-functional initiatives.

Passionate about innovation and continuous learning, Shruti is committed to fostering a culture of excellence and bringing fresh, diverse perspectives to every challenge. In her new role at McDonald’s, Shruti will spearhead strategy and insights initiatives, drawing on her expertise in consumer analytics, growth strategy, and business transformation to help advance the brand’s long-term growth ambitions.

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Geetika will continue in her role as the CEO & Co-founder of MOPP Foods, which is a Kouzina Food Tech Company, while taking on the additional responsibility of leading brand strategy, consumer marketing, product innovation, customer experience, innovation-led growth, and business excellence initiatives across Kouzina’s portfolio of brands and partner network.

The appointment comes at a strategic phase of growth for Kouzina as it continues to strengthen its portfolio of digital-first food brands and accelerate its vision of building India’s most scalable technology-led food services platform.

Commenting on the appointment, Gautam Balijepalli, Founder & CEO, Kouzina Food Tech, said, “Geetika brings a rare combination of entrepreneurial grit, deep consumer understanding, operational excellence, and brand-building capability. Over the years, she has demonstrated an exceptional ability to create customer love while building scalable food businesses. As Kouzina enters its next phase of growth, her leadership will play a pivotal role in strengthening our brands, driving innovation, and building a world-class consumer experience across our portfolio.”

He further added, “Kouzina has always believed that technology, data, and strong consumer brands together create sustainable competitive advantage. Geetika’s proven track record of building differentiated food brands and her passion for excellence make her the ideal leader to help us scale the next generation of food brands across India.”

Speaking about her expanded role, Geetika Anand Gupta said, “I am excited to take on the responsibility of Group CMO at Kouzina while continuing my entrepreneurial journey with MOPP Foods. Kouzina has built one of the most exciting food-tech platforms in India, combining technology, operations, and consumer insight at scale. I look forward to working closely with Gautam and the leadership team to strengthen our brands, deepen customer engagement, drive innovation, and contribute towards building category-defining food brands for the future.”

The appointment further reinforces Kouzina’s commitment to bringing together entrepreneurial leaders and industry experts as it continues its journey toward becoming India’s leading technology-driven food services platform.

Geetika Anand Gupta is widely recognized in the food and beverage industry for building customer-centric brands and driving product innovation. Under her leadership, MOPP Foods has established itself as one of the most loved food brands in the Delhi-NCR region, known for brands such as Mad Over Parathas & Pakodas and its focus on quality, customer experience, and delivery-led innovation.

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Raj has a distinguished track record of driving growth, innovation, and operational excellence across some of India’s most influential technology and consumer internet companies. Over the course of his career, he has held key leadership roles at leading organizations including Zepto, Meesho, Swiggy, and NVIDIA. Raj’s association of the prestigious Indian School of Business (ISB), stands testament to his ability to take on critical responsibilities and be instrumental in the company’s expansion. His professional journey reflects a unique blend of strategic thinking, data-driven decision-making, and execution excellence, enabling organizations to unlock new growth opportunities while delivering superior customer experiences.

At Zepto, Raj has been instrumental in contributing to the company’s rapid expansion and strengthening its position within India’s fast-growing quick-commerce ecosystem. Prior to this, his tenure at Meesho and Swiggy provided him with extensive experience in scaling consumer-facing platforms, optimizing business operations, and driving market penetration across diverse geographies and customer segments.

Known for his ability to bridge technology, business strategy, and customer-centric innovation, Raj is passionate about building high-performing teams, fostering a culture of continuous improvement, and leveraging technology to solve complex business challenges. His insights on digital transformation, e-commerce evolution, supply chain innovation, and the future of consumer commerce make him a respected voice within the industry.

Through sustained hard work and steadfast dedication, Raj has earned a well-deserved promotion within the organization. His promotion reflects the organization’s confidence in his abilities, built through years of dedication, hard work, and impactful contributions.

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Ankur joins Tupperware with over 20 years of experience across leading international and Indian consumer brands, bringing deep expertise in business transformation, omnichannel growth, distributor network development, retail
expansion, and consumer-centric business strategies. Ankur served as Country Head – India & Sri Lanka at Triumph International prior to joining Tupperware, where he was instrumental in business transformation, driving growth, strengthening market presence, and leading strategic initiatives across the region.

Before joining Triumph, Ankur was Country Head at Le Creuset, the globally renowned French premium cookware brand, where he played a key role in expanding the brand’s presence across retail, e-commerce, hospitality, and
corporate channels.

“We are delighted to welcome Ankur Damani to Tupperware. His leadership, strong commercial experience & proven success across a range of industries, deep understanding of Indian consumer and market dynamics make him the perfect choice to lead our commercial transformation journey. As we continue to strengthen our partner ecosystem while expanding our omnichannel footprint, Ankur’s expertise will be instrumental in driving sustainable growth and future-ready capabilities for our organization.” shared Noopur Jain, Regional HR Director, APAC, Tupperware.

On his appointment, Ankur Damani said, “It is an honour to join Tupperware – a brand with an enduring legacy built on innovation, trust, and empowerment. The opportunity to contribute towards strengthening the brand’s commercial capabilities while accelerating its growth ambitions is incredibly exciting. I look forward to working closely with the teams and partners to unlock new opportunities, deepen consumer engagement, and drive long-term value creation.”

As Tupperware continues to evolve its business model to meet changing consumer preferences and omnichannel buying behaviour, Ankur will play a pivotal role in expansion of the company’s multi-channel presence and accelerating its omnichannel expansion.

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