Bacardi has appointed Vinay Golikeri as managing director, India and neighboring countries. In his new role, Golikeri will be responsible for leading commercial operations across the market for the company’s portfolio of premium spirits and will continue to ensure ongoing sustainable and profitable growth for the business. He will head the India leadership team and will report to Vijay Subramaniam, regional president, Asia, Middle East and Africa, and global travel retail (GTR). India is a dynamic and fast-evolving market, and is vital to Bacardi’s global growth, Subramaniam said. “As we continue to develop the Bacardi portfolio of premium brands, Vinay Golikeri’s agility in identifying growth opportunities within diverse environments and his relentless focus on execution will be essential in achieving our future ambitions,” he added.
Golikeri will take over from Sanjit Randhawa who, after nearly five years as managing director, India & neighboring countries, will be moving to Dubai, UAE, to take on his new role as director, external affairs, Asia Middle East and Africa and GTR. Both roles will take effect starting January 1, 2023.
Golikeri has been with Bacardi since 2003 and claims to have a long and deep connection with the Indian market. He began his journey looking after the rum category in India and pursued his career with the company across global roles in London before taking on marketing and commercial leadership roles in GTR for Hong Kong and subsequently for Asia, Middle East and Africa. Golikeri most recently held the position of managing director, global travel retail, based in Dubai. During his tenure, he played a major part in the transformation of GTR as a strategic brand-building and commercial channel for the portfolio, delivering strong plans to build equity with emerging market travelers.
In his new role, Randhawa will be responsible for developing and implementing the external affairs strategy for AMEA and GTR. Randhawa brings a wealth of experience in external affairs across India and Southeast Asia, where he held prestigious roles as board member for numerous organisations including the International Spirits and Wines Association of India (ISWAI) and the Thai Alcohol Beverage Business Association (TABBA). With a career spanning more than 20 years with Bacardi, Randhawa has delivered exceptional results in India, driving the business to grow year on year, the company claims. “Our commitment to talent development is critical to Bacardi culture, and the success of our business begins with our teams’ exceptional focus on strategy and purposeful leadership,” Subramaniam stated.
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