Prior to joining in Parkroyal, Mr Chakarvarty served as sales manager at Hotel Leela Ventures. Before that, he served at DCM Toyota and Europcar India.

Ajay Asrani promoted as marketing manager, Johnnie Walker UDV India's group product manager, Mr Ajay Asrani, has been promoted as marketing manager of Johnnie Walker's global marketing team. He will now move to Amsterdam where the team is based. Incorporated in 1994, UDV India currently markets spirit brands like Smirnoff, Black & White, Vat 69 and Gilbey's.

Adobe Systems appoints business development manager
PC software company Adobe Systems has appointed Mr Himanshu Goyal as its new business development manager for Indian operations. In his new role, Mr Goyal will look after developing new business in India for Adobe's software solutions.

Before this, Mr Goyal worked with Wipro Technologies, where he was responsible for selling Adobe products, along with Macromedia and Netscape products, in India.

Mr Goyal has also been awarded the Best National Adobe Product Sales Award in India.

New channel account manager at Adobe
MR Sandeep Mehrotra has been appointed channel account manager for Indian operations by Adobe Systems. In his new assignment, Mr Mehrotra will spearhead Adobe's channel operations in India, through which the company provides a number of software solutions for the web. He will also look into providing marketing and technical support to Adobe's channel partners and also develop new channel partners.

Before joining Adobe, Mr Mehrotra served with Compaq as business development manager.

New head for Baan's Indian operations
BAAN India has promoted Mr Gopal Madnani as its chief executive officer. Mr Madnani will oversee Baan India's sales and marketing, consulting and support in India, Bangladesh and Sri Lanka.

An alumnus of IIT Mumbai, Mr Madnani has been at Baan India for the last five years. Before joining Baan India, Mr Madnani served with Tata Infotech Ltd, both in India and overseas.

United Airlines appoints GM for Indian operations
MR Michael Purchon has been appointed general manager-India by United Airlines. In his new role, Mr Purchon will head the airlines' passenger and cargo operations in India. The airlines will relaunch its round-the-world service from Delhi from April 2001.

Prior to this assignment, Mr Purchon has been serving with the airlines as regional manager-alliances.

Prof. R Rajagopalan is Teacher of the Year
THE Association of Indian Management Schools has selected Prof. R Rajagopalan of the T A Pai Management Institute, Manipal, as `Teacher of the Year'.

Prof. Rajagopalan is currently dean, academic affairs at TAPMI. Prior to joining TAPMI, he served as a faculty member at the Institute of Rural Management.

Vishal Pandit new MD at Associates India
Associates India Financial Services has appointed Mr Vishal Pandit as its new managing director. Prior to joining Associates India, Mr Pandit was country manager of Visa International.

Mr Pandit had also served with a number of prominent financial service companies like GE Capital and Maruti Countrywide Auto Financial Services.

First lady CMD at ITPO
MS Rathi Vinay Jha has been appointed chairperson cum managing director, India Trade Promotion Organisation. Ms Jha is the first woman to occupy top slot at the premiere trade promotion agency under the Union commerce and industry ministry.

Ms Jha is an IAS officer of the 1967 cadre and served as additional secretary, Union commerce and industry ministry, before joining ITPO.