Brands
Shekhar Swarup named CEO of Globus Spirits
Longtime insider steps up to lead next growth phase of liquor major
NEW DELHI: Sometimes the next chief executive is already in the room. At Globus Spirits, that person is Shekhar Swarup.
The company has named Swarup as its chief executive officer, elevating a long-time insider who has spent nearly two decades helping shape the liquor maker’s operations and growth strategy.
Swarup has been with the company for over 17 years and most recently served as joint managing director, a role he has held since 2017. During this period, he worked closely on expanding Globus Spirits’ manufacturing footprint and strengthening its consumer brands portfolio.
Before that, he served as executive director from 2011 to 2017 and earlier held an executive role at the company between 2008 and 2011.
Headquartered in New Delhi, Globus Spirits operates across the alcohol value chain, manufacturing and marketing Indian Made Indian Liquor and Indian Made Foreign Liquor while also producing bulk alcohol and offering contract bottling services to other liquor companies.
The company is one of the country’s largest manufacturers of Grain Neutral Spirit, with installed capacities of about 500 kilolitres per day across four states. It also bottles around 1.5 million nine-litre cases every month, with nearly 80 per cent coming from its own brands.
Outside the company, Swarup is the founder of India Craft Spirits Co and serves as vice president of the All India Distillers’ Association.
An alumnus of the University of Bradford, where he studied Business and Management, Swarup also completed the Owner President Management programme at Harvard Business School between 2022 and 2024.
With his elevation, the company is signalling continuity at the top, placing a seasoned hand on the wheel as it looks to build on its presence in India’s competitive spirits market.
Brands
33 per cent of women believe the salary scale is rigged: Naukri report
Voices @ Work study finds rising calls for equal pay audits and lingering bias
MUMBAI: Progress may be visible in India’s workplaces, but many women still feel the need to tread carefully. A new report by Naukri reveals that one in two women hesitate to disclose marriage or maternity plans during job interviews, worried that such information could influence hiring decisions.
The findings come from the second edition of Naukri’s annual Voices @ Work International Women’s Day report, titled “What Women Professionals Want.” Drawing insights from more than 50,000 women across over 50 industries, the survey sheds light on evolving workplace aspirations alongside the biases that continue to hold women back.
One of the report’s most striking insights is the growing demand for equal pay audits. The share of women calling for regular pay parity checks has climbed to 27 per cent this year, up from 19 per cent a year ago. The demand now stands alongside menstrual leave as the most sought after workplace policy.
Interestingly, the call for pay transparency grows louder higher up the income ladder. Nearly half of women earning between Rs 50 lakh and Rs 1 crore annually say equal pay audits are a priority, suggesting that pay gaps become more visible as women move up the career ladder.
At the same time, confidence and ambition appear to be rising. About 83 per cent of women say they feel encouraged to pursue leadership roles, a significant jump from 66 per cent last year. Cities in southern India appear particularly supportive, with Hyderabad leading the way as 86 per cent of respondents there reported encouragement to step into leadership positions. The education sector recorded the highest sense of encouragement at 87 per cent.
Yet the report also highlights a growing trust deficit around pay equity. Nearly one in three women, or 33 per cent, say they do not believe men and women are paid equally at their workplace. That figure has risen from 25 per cent last year, pointing to widening perceptions of disparity as careers progress.
Bias in hiring and promotions continues to be the biggest hurdle. About 42 per cent of respondents say workplace bias is the main challenge for women from diverse backgrounds. The concern is consistent across major metros, with Chennai and Delhi NCR reporting similar levels.
Reluctance to discuss personal milestones during hiring processes is also widespread. While 34 per cent overall said they hesitate to share marriage or maternity plans in interviews, the anxiety increases with experience. Among professionals with 10 to 15 years of work experience, the figure rises to 40 per cent.
Info Edge group CMO Sumeet Singh, said the data reflects both progress and unfinished work. “Behind every data point in this report is a woman who is ambitious. The fact that 83 per cent feel encouraged to lead is something to celebrate. However, the fact that one in two still hide their marriage or maternity plans in interviews tells us the work is far from done. As India’s leading career platform, it felt not just important but necessary for us to shine a light on these gaps through the second edition of our report,” he said.
The report suggests that while ambition among women professionals is growing, structural changes around pay transparency, fair hiring and supportive policies will be key if workplaces hope to keep pace.
