MAM
IAA Mentorship with Maarten L Albarda
MUMBAI: The International Advertising Association (IAA) India Chapter has organised its next webinar on ‘World Goes Digital’, which will be addressed by Maarten L Albarda, renowned marketing consultant, former Coca-Cola media and communication innovation global director.
L Albarda has around 30 years of experience in advertising and marketing and started his career at JWT Amsterdam as a media planner.
“We are delighted to have someone of the stature of Maatren L Albarda to address the IAA mentorship webinar. I am sure brand managers and digital media practitioners would use this opportunity to interact with him,” said IAA India Chapter and IAA development Asia/Pacific region vice president Srinivasan K Swamy.
Free Press Journal director Abhishek Karnani and Mahindra Special Services Group marketing and public relations head Manish Advani are co-chairing the IAA webinar series.
The webinar will be aired live on the IAA YouTube channel – www.youtube.com /iaaindiachapter on 16 October 4pm onwards.
The International Advertising Association (IAA) India Chapter has earlier hosted speakers like Sajeev Kapoor, CMO, Citi (India); Ashish Hemrajani, Founder and CEO, Bookmyshow.com; Rajan Anandan, MD, Google (India); Nishant Rao MD, Linkedin (India); Ajit Balakrishnan, Founder, Rediff.com; Julie Roehm, Chief Story Teller, SAP and Neeraj Roy, MD and CEO of Hungama Digital Media Entertainment Pvt. Ltd and Paul Berney, Co-Founder & Managing Partner EMEA of mCordis.
MAM
HUL appoints Pavan Bedi as CMO for Foods business
Veteran marketer with 22-plus years at Unilever takes charge of foods portfolio in Mumbai.
MUMBAI: HUL’s foods division just got a seasoned flavour boost because when it comes to seasoning success, Pavan Bedi knows exactly how to stir the pot. Hindustan Unilever (HUL) has elevated long-time leader Pavan Bedi to chief marketing officer for its Foods business, the company confirmed on 23 February 2026. Bedi, who has spent over 22 years with the FMCG giant, shared the news himself on LinkedIn, writing: “I’m delighted to share that I will be stepping into a new role as CMO Foods, HUL”.
Before this Mumbai-based appointment, Bedi served as global brand vice president for more than four years. His career is dotted with high-impact global roles: he was global brand director for Pond’s (based in Singapore), driving innovation across South Asia, Africa, and the Middle East, led the high-profile rebranding of Fair & Lovely to Glow & Lovely as global brand director; and spent six years shaping Lifebuoy’s “Purpose agenda” and “Social Mission”, forging public-private partnerships with the United Nations and other platforms.
Now overseeing HUL’s sprawling foods lineup from staples to snacks and everything in between Bedi steps into one of the company’s most dynamic verticals at a time when consumer tastes are evolving fast. His track record blending global scale, brand transformation, and purpose-led marketing makes him a natural fit for steering strategic growth and creative campaigns in the category.
In his LinkedIn post, Bedi underscored his enduring commitment to Unilever’s vision, framing the move as another chapter in a career built on long-term impact rather than quick wins.
For an organisation that thrives on trusted, household names, Bedi’s elevation is less a surprise and more a reminder, the best recipes for growth often come from ingredients that have been simmering for over two decades. Whether it’s rebranding icons or building purpose at scale, he’s now tasked with making sure HUL’s foods business stays as appetising tomorrow as it is today.
