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Mars Wrigley India exemplifies inclusion and diversity with five key appointments
Mumbai: In a significant move demonstrating its ambitious focus on inclusion and diversity and continued investment in the talent pool in India, Mars Wrigley on Thursday announced the appointment of three new women executives in its India Leadership Team and chose two executives from India to take up global roles critical to the company’s growth strategy.
Richa Singh, Sunita Patnaik, and Shahine Ardeshir have joined Mars Wrigley India Leadership Team as chief financial officer (CFO), director – corporate affairs, and director – people and organization (P&O) India, respectively, while Chirag Shah has been elevated as CFO of Nature’s Bakery, a Mars business in the US, and Hegeler Solomon promoted to director of people and organisation, Mars Wrigley Asia.
“Fostering talent and building capability remain a cornerstone of Mars Wrigley and we are highly intentional in finding the best talent, building the right capabilities and creating an environment of inclusion and diversity,” said Mars Wrigley India, general manager, Kalpesh R Parmar. “This is instrumental to our ability to deliver our growth legacy and navigate the challenges as well as capitalize on the opportunities that lay ahead as we remain steadfast on our long-term commitment to India. Aligned with this, I am pleased to welcome Richa, Sunita and Shahine to Mars Wrigley India’s leadership team. These appointments advance our commitment to bringing on board strong women leaders to position us well in our journey of purpose-led growth.”
“Equally, I am very excited that Chirag Shah and Hegeler Solomon have been elevated to lead global positions within Mars. Both of them have been strong architects in India’s growth story for Mars Wrigley and have made a significant contribution to the business. I am very proud of this move as it is a strong testament of our ability to nurture and export world-class talent from India for the company globally. Their unique experiences in a diverse and fastest-growing market like India will help shape and contribute to the transformative growth strategy of the company across the markets. I wish all of them the very best as they begin their new assignments,” Parmar added.
Richa Singh comes with a global experience of over two decades across consumer durables and FMCG companies, leading business accelerations and transformations, process optimisations, among others. She joins from Niine Pvt Ltd, a start up in feminine hygiene that she led for three years. Prior to Niine, she worked in Philips Healthcare@Home, Philips Consumer, J&J Medical ASEAN, Coca-Cola, and P&G across India, ASEAN, Australia, and Japan. Richa replaces Chirag Shah.
Sunita Patnaik comes with nearly two decades of experience in journalism, corporate affairs, communications, CSR, and Sustainability. Sunita joins from Facebook India where she led content and programs policy communications. Prior to Facebook, Sunita was associated with Walmart India and Cargill India. In her current role, Sunita will be responsible for leading government relations, corporate communications, PR, and advocacy efforts across all Mars Wrigley India brands and verticals.
Shahine Ardeshir comes with a wealth of experience, a large part of it from within the company, having joined Mars in 2012. She has held a number of key roles within the leadership team, including most recently as Associate Relations (AR) Lead for the segment across India, Middle East and South Africa. She played an integral part in launching and stabilising AR operations of the new People and Organization operating model, across a diverse region, supporting all segments including Mars Wrigley, Pet Nutrition, and Royal Canin. Shahine replaces Hegeler Solomon.
Richa, Sunita, and Shahine will be based in Gurugram.
Chirag Shah joined the company in 2016 as CFO for the erstwhile Mars Chocolate segment in India. He was later appointed as Finance Director for the Mars Wrigley integrated business in 2017 in India. Shah will be relocating to the US shortly.
Hegeler Solomon joined Mars in May 2014 as People and Organization Business Partner for the erstwhile Wrigley segment and subsequently moved as director – people and organization for Wrigley South Asia. Later he was appointed as director – people and organisation for the combined Mars Wrigley unit in India. During this stint, Solomon played the lead role in integrating the structure of the two different organisations and created an enabling culture that helped the company secure a ‘Great Place to Work’ status in India. Solomon will transition to his new role in September.
MAM
Worldwide Travel Insurance for Indian Travellers: How to Find a Plan Without Geographic Gaps in Your Protection
Travelling to more than one country can make insurance selection more complex, because a policy that looks broad at first may still leave certain destinations, transit points, or regions outside its scope. For Indian travellers, this can lead to gaps in cover during a medical emergency or travel disruption abroad.
Here’s a guide to understanding how worldwide coverage works, which plan types to review, and how to check for geographic exclusions before choosing a policy.
Why Geographic Coverage Matters in Travel Insurance
When travellers look for the best travel insurance, medical cover and premium often get early attention, but geographic scope matters just as much. A policy may appear broad while still limiting cover in certain countries, regions, or travel routes.
This can affect hospital access, emergency support, evacuation terms, and non-medical benefits. For Indian travellers visiting more than one destination, checking where the policy applies is an important way to avoid gaps in protection.
Types of Worldwide Travel Insurance Plans Available to Indians
Worldwide travel insurance may be available in different formats, and each one should be reviewed based on the route, trip pattern, and list of destinations.
Single-Trip Travel Insurance
This type of policy is generally chosen for one overseas journey with fixed departure and return dates. It may suit travellers visiting one country or more than one destination during the same trip. The policy still needs to be checked carefully to confirm whether every destination on the itinerary is covered during the full travel period.
Multi-Trip Annual Insurance
This type of plan may be suitable for travellers who visit different countries several times a year. It can be useful only when the policy’s covered regions match the countries included across those trips. Before choosing it, travellers should check trip duration limits, region-wise exclusions, and whether all intended destinations are covered under the annual plan.
Region-Specific Plans
Some policies are built for selected regions rather than for the whole world. These plans may be arranged by destination groups such as Asia, Europe, or broader international zones. They may be suitable in some cases, but they should be reviewed carefully if the journey includes stopovers, connecting countries, or travel beyond the listed region.
Comprehensive Worldwide Plans
These plans are usually reviewed by travellers who want broader international cover across multiple destinations. However, a plan described as worldwide may still have country-wise limits, separate terms for certain regions, or limits on healthcare access and emergency services. The wording should therefore be checked in detail before relying on the description alone.
Key Coverage Areas That Ensure Global Protection
A worldwide policy should be reviewed for the coverage points that matter when travel includes more than one country or a wider international route. These areas help show whether the plan is suitable for broader overseas travel and not limited to only a few listed destinations.
● Cover that applies to all countries listed in the itinerary, not only the main destination.
● Cover for transit stops and connecting countries that are part of the planned journey.
● Clear mention of excluded countries, restricted regions, or destinations not covered under the policy.
● Emergency medical and assistance support that remains available while travelling across different countries.
● Evacuation and repatriation terms that continue to apply during multi-country travel.
How to Check for Geographic Exclusions Before Buying
Geographic exclusions are often found in the detailed wording rather than in the headline promise of the plan. A careful review before purchase can help travellers understand whether the policy matches their travel route.
● Check the destination list in the policy schedule.
● Read whether excluded countries, sanctioned regions, or restricted zones are mentioned in the wording.
● Review whether transit stops and connecting destinations are mentioned as covered travel locations.
● Check if medical network access differs across countries even when the policy appears globally valid.
● Read whether adventure activities, cruises, or remote locations have separate geographic conditions.
● Review assistance and claim support terms to see if they apply equally across all covered destinations.
Conclusion
A travel insurance plan cannot be judged only by premium, destination label, or the word worldwide term alone. For Indian travellers, geographic scope needs close attention because exclusions and regional limits may affect how the policy works during the journey. A careful review of plan type, covered locations, medical support, and destination-specific terms may help reduce avoidable gaps.
