Brands
Hindustan Coca-Cola Beverages elevates Gaurav Chaturvedi
MUMBAI: Hindustan Coca-Cola Beverages, the company owned bottling partner of The Coca-Cola Company in India, has appointed Gaurav Chaturvedi as the new Human Resource vice president.
Chaturvedi is currently the zonal VP, operations, Andhra Pradesh, the largest zone for HCCBPL in sales terms.
Chaturvedi will take charge from 15 April and continue to report to HCCBPL CEO T Krishnakumar. This is the first time in two decades since Coca-Cola’s re-entry into India that a senior operations manager has been designated to take over the Human Resource responsibilities in the company. Chaturvedi replaces P V Ramna Murthy, who has decided to pursue opportunities outside the company.
Speaking on the appointment, Krishnakumar said, “The bottling business is exemplified by intense operations where people are the most important asset and hence it helps to have a person who has worked through operations to be head of the people’s function. Gaurav has spent 16 years in various parts of operations of HCCB and hence is an excellent fit to manage the people’s function and take it to the next level of excellence”.
Chaturvedi joined Coca-Cola in 1997 and over the last 16 years has held positions of responsibilities across functions and geographies. During the course of his career with the Coca-Cola System in India, he has headed a large plant (Wada), a sales territory (Nasik), two bottling units (East UP and West UP), and set up the Operational Excellence function across the country.
As a part of the vision 2020 for India, HCCBPL is focusing on becoming a world class organisation, building a culture of execution excellence and driving returns.
India is a key growth market for The Coca-Cola Company and the company envisages India as amongst the top five markets at the end of 2020. India is currently, the seventh largest market for The Coca-Cola Company, globally.
Brands
Limelight Lab Grown Diamonds to open 25 stores in Q1 FY26 expansion
Push into Tier 2 cities and metros to take total footprint past 85 stores
MUMBAI: Limelight Lab Grown Diamonds has kicked off the new financial year with an ambitious retail push, announcing plans to launch 25 new stores in the first quarter of FY26 across metros and high-growth Tier 2 markets.
With this expansion, the brand’s total retail footprint is set to cross 85 stores nationwide, reinforcing its early-mover advantage in India’s fast-growing lab grown diamond segment. The move reflects a broader shift in consumer preferences, where aspirational buying is increasingly aligned with sustainability and value.
The company said the expansion is aimed at deepening its presence beyond major cities and tapping into emerging demand centres, as lab grown diamonds gain wider acceptance among Indian consumers.
Commenting on the development, Limelight Lab Grown Diamonds founder and managing director Pooja Madhavan said, “Launching 25 stores at the very start of the financial year is a strong signal of how the category is evolving. As pioneers, we are not just expanding retail, we are shaping consumer mindsets towards smarter, more sustainable luxury.” She added that the brand’s long-term goal is to scale to 200 stores while making the category accessible to modern Indian buyers.
From an execution standpoint, the company is focusing on building depth in high-potential markets rather than just expanding its footprint. Limelight Lab Grown Diamonds director retail expansion Karamjyot Singh Chawla said, “Every new store is a step towards creating a truly national footprint with consistent, premium experiences,” highlighting the role of supply chain and operational discipline in supporting growth.
On the product side, the brand is strengthening its merchandising capabilities to keep pace with rising demand. Limelight Lab Grown Diamonds co-founder and director of inventory and merchandise Nirav Bhatt said the focus is on building an agile supply system that keeps designs relevant and responsive to consumer trends.
Meanwhile, scaling operations sustainably remains a priority. Limelight Lab Grown Diamonds co-founder and director production and finance Kalpan Dalal said the company is investing in efficient production and financial discipline to support long-term expansion.
The retail rollout is backed by an omni-channel strategy, franchise partnerships and continued investment in design innovation and consumer education. Each store is designed to deliver a consistent, premium experience aligned with the brand’s positioning around transparency and modern luxury.
With a roadmap to reach 200 stores by 2027, Limelight is betting big on both scale and sentiment, aiming to carve out a larger share of India’s evolving fine jewellery market.
