Brands
Hemant Rupani to head Hindustan Coca-Cola Beverages as CEO
BENGALURU: Hindustan Coca-Cola Beverages (HCCB), India’s largest Coca-Cola bottler, has named Hemant Rupani as its new chief executive, effective 8 September. Rupani takes over from Juan Pablo Rodriguez, who is moving on to a new role within the global Coca-Cola system.
Rupani, a seasoned operator with stints across FMCG, telecom, and tech, currently serves as Mondelez’s business unit president for southeast Asia, overseeing operations in Indonesia, the Philippines, Vietnam, Malaysia, Singapore and Thailand. He joined Mondelez in 2016 and has held leadership roles in India and Vietnam, rising to his current post in 2022.
The appointment comes at a pivotal time for HCCB, following Coca-Cola’s move in December 2024 to sell a 40 per cent stake in Hindustan Coca-Cola Holdings Pvt Ltd—the parent company of HCCB—to the Jubilant Bhartia group.
A mechanical engineering graduate from Regional Engineering College, Jaipur, with an MBA in marketing from FMS Delhi, Rupani began his career in 1997 at ICI India. He has since worked with PepsiCo, Infosys, Vodafone, and Britannia, steadily climbing the leadership ladder across sectors.
He will report to the HCCB board and is expected to steer the company’s next phase of growth, amid rising investment in India and intensifying competition in the beverage market.
The Coca-Cola Co, listed on NYSE as KO, operates in over 200 markets and employs more than 700,000 people through its global bottling partners.
Brands
KKR sixes to power EV charger rollout under VIDA campaign
Cricket meets clean mobility as big hits spark India’s charging growth
NEW DELHI: VIDA, the electric mobility arm of Hero MotoCorp, has teamed up with Kolkata Knight Riders to launch a campaign that turns cricketing flair into real-world impact.
Titled ‘6 for 6’, the initiative promises to install a 6kW fast EV charger for every six hit by KKR during the ongoing Indian Premier League season. The idea is simple but powerful, as each big hit on the field contributes directly to expanding India’s fast-charging infrastructure.
The campaign builds on VIDA’s growing network, which already spans over 5,300 fast-charging points across more than 430 cities. With EV adoption gaining pace, the brand is using cricket’s mass appeal to accelerate both awareness and infrastructure growth.
Explaining the thinking behind the move, Hero MotoCorp emerging mobility business unit chief business officer Kausalya Nandakumar said, “Cricket has an incredible ability to unite and inspire millions across the country. With the ‘6 for 6’ campaign, we are turning every big hit on the field into a step towards a cleaner and a more accessible mobility future.”
She added that VIDA’s expanding fast-charging network and removable battery technology are designed to make EV ownership more convenient and practical for everyday users.
From the franchise’s side, the campaign is also about giving on-field moments a larger purpose. Kolkata Knight Riders chief executive officer Venky Mysore said, “The ‘6 for 6’ campaign exemplifies the potential of sport as a platform for meaningful, real-world impact. By linking every six to the expansion of EV charging infrastructure, this partnership transforms fan excitement into tangible progress.”
As part of the rollout, VIDA has introduced co-branded charging stations in KKR’s signature colours, with a flagship installation unveiled alongside team players. The chargers are designed for quick top-ups, powering VIDA scooters from zero to 80 percent in about an hour, while also being positioned along key highways to support longer journeys.
The initiative also taps into VIDA’s removable battery system, which allows users to charge using standard household plug points, adding flexibility to the charging ecosystem.
By blending the thrill of cricket with the urgency of clean mobility, VIDA and KKR have found a neat way to make every six count twice, once on the scoreboard and again on India’s road to an electric future.
