MAM
Coca-Cola to invest $2 bn in India
MUMBAI: Coca-Cola will splurge $30 billion over the next five years starting 2012, out of which India‘s share is $2 billion.
Coca-Cola and its bottling partners in India will invest in consumer marketing and brand building, innovation, expansion of distribution and cold drink equipment placement as well as further development of manufacturing capacity to meet growing consumer demand.
India is a strategic growth country for the company, ranking among its top 10 markets in volume globally and is the largest market in the Eurasia and Africa Group. The aim is to make India one of the top 5 coke markets by the end of this decade.
Coca-Cola is looking at doubling its India revenues this decade.
Coca-Cola president Eurasia and Africa Group Ahmet C Bozer said, “India is one of our most important growth markets as we work toward our 2020 Vision of doubling system revenues and servings this decade. The opportunity in the packaged beverage segment is immense, and our efforts in India are focused on being the beverage of choice all day, every day. If we continue to do the right things each day and at all times, it would not surprise me if India becomes one of the top five markets for the company globally by the end of this decade.”
Coca-Cola has already invested over $2 billion in India since it re-entered the country in 1993. The investments announced today by Coca-Cola will further catalyze economic growth and create new opportunities for the local community.
Coca-Cola India and South West Asia president and CEO Atul Singh said, “This investment is a part of our long-term commitment to invest in innovation, partnerships and a portfolio of brands that will enable us to grow our business in a sustainable and responsible way. In addition to our infrastructure and capabilities, the new investment will also focus on enhancing the consumer experience, building brand loyalty and contributing to environmental sustainability and community development. Our India business has been growing at a robust rate over the last five years, and our goal is to continue this growth momentum. The country‘s demographics, economic and social parameters are all huge drivers of growth and we have to ensure that we capitalize on the opportunity.”
The Coca-Cola company has continuously registered volume growth in India for the past 21 quarters, 15 of which have seen double-digit growth.
MAM
Manappuram Finance appoints Sreekanth P V as group head – operations
22-year veteran from Bajaj Finance to drive efficiency and customer experience.
MUMBAI: Manappuram Finance just upgraded its operations engine because when customer delight needs turbocharging, even the gold loans get a smoother ride. Manappuram Finance Ltd has appointed industry veteran Sreekanth P V as group head for operations & customer experience at the grade of president. In his new role, Sreekanth will lead efforts to strengthen operational efficiency, enhance customer experience, streamline processes, drive service innovation and scale the company’s digital ecosystems across all business verticals.
Sreekanth brings over 22 years of experience in operations management, digital platforms, product innovation and customer experience within the financial services sector. Most recently he served as deputy executive vice president for digital platforms at Bajaj Finance Ltd, where he led the development of a unified app and web platform strategy and built a cohesive digital ecosystem.
Manappuram Finance, chairman and managing director V. P. Nandakumar said, “We are pleased to welcome Mr Sreekanth P V to the leadership team. He brings extensive experience in operations management, digital platforms and customer experience. As we continue to strengthen our operational capabilities and enhance customer engagement, his expertise will play an important role in driving efficiency, innovation and service excellence across the organisation.”
The appointment reflects Manappuram Finance’s ongoing focus on building a stronger leadership bench and elevating operational standards as the company scales its lending and customer engagement capabilities.
In a sector where every rupee counts twice, Sreekanth isn’t just joining the team, he’s the new conductor making sure the entire orchestra of loans, digital flows and customer smiles stays perfectly in tune.
