MAM
Bacardi India announces Mahesh Kanchan as marketing director for India & Neighboring Countries
Mumbai: Bacardi India Private Limited, the world’s largest privately held spirits company, today announced the appointment of Mahesh Kanchan as the company’s new Bacardi India & Neighboring Countries marketing director. With a wealth of experience in leadership roles where he drove marketing for international brands across categories in South Asia, he will now spearhead marketing strategies for Bacardi’s portfolio of brands across India and surrounding markets, from the company’s office in Gurgaon.
Kanchan has built a distinguished career spanning over two decades, with expertise in growing brands through executional excellence, and steering companies towards profitable growth. Previously serving as the CEO of Del Monte Foods India, Kanchan played a key role in transforming Del Monte Foods’ market strategies to boost brand profitability and long-term growth.
Prior to his tenure at Del Monte, Mr. Kanchan led marketing efforts in the Indian alcobev sector in his role as Vice President – Marketing & Revenue Growth Management at Carlsberg India. Preceding this, he also helped shape Hershey India’s innovation blueprint and approach to growth as Vice President – Marketing & Sales; and led multiple verticals within Sales & Marketing during his time at Unilever India as Regional Marketing Director – South Asia, driving consistent growth for brands like Kissan & Knorr (in India), Blue Band & Flora (Pakistan) and Astra, Flora & Marmite (Sri Lanka).
“We are thrilled to have Mr. Mahesh Kanchan join Bacardi India’s leadership team,” said Bacardi India & Neighboring Countries managing director Vinay Golikeri. “His strategic expertise and proven ability to drive brand growth align with Bacardi’s vision for the Indian market. With India’s alcobev market continuing to grow into one of the largest globally across categories, we will look to his expertise and guidance to lead our strategic marketing in a direction that meaningfully connects and resonates with our audiences across the country.”
Commenting on his newly appointed role, Kanchan said, “I am thrilled to embrace the opportunity to enhance both the established and new age brands within the Bacardi portfolio across India and neighboring markets. I look forward to amplifying Bacardi’s consumer-first marketing efforts to bring fresh and meaningful experiences that resonate with our audiences and drive meaningful growth to continue elevating our brand presence.”
Digital
OpenAI names Sanghyun Lee Apac global affairs head
Ex-Google policy leader to steer AI governance and partnerships in region
MUMBAI: OpenAI has appointed Sanghyun Lee as head of Asia Pacific global affairs, bringing in a seasoned policy hand as it deepens engagement across one of the fastest-evolving AI markets.
Based in Singapore, Lee will lead public policy engagement, government relations and strategic partnerships across key Asia Pacific markets, including India, Japan, Korea, Australia and Southeast Asia. His role will centre on shaping how AI is governed and adopted responsibly across the region.
Lee joins OpenAI after nearly nine years at Google, where he held multiple leadership roles in government affairs and public policy. Most recently, he served as global head of key markets for platforms and devices, overseeing regulatory strategy across major markets including the US, EU and Asia.
Reflecting on his transition, Lee described his time at Google as formative. “After nearly nine years at Google, I am closing a chapter that has meant a great deal to me. These were defining years. We navigated regulatory scrutiny, fast-moving policy debates, and moments that demanded calm judgment and steady teamwork,” he said.
At OpenAI, Lee will focus on aligning innovation with policy frameworks, a balancing act that is becoming increasingly critical as AI adoption accelerates worldwide. Lee said, “When a technology is as powerful as AI, progress is not only about innovation. It is also about how thoughtfully we engage with governments, institutions, and communities to help ensure its benefits are shared broadly and responsibly.”
Lee brings more than two decades of experience spanning technology, investments and public policy. His career includes leadership roles at Airbnb, where he worked on regulatory frameworks in Asia, and academic positions at Yonsei University. He is also an alumnus of MIT Sloan School of Management and has contributed to research on AI governance and digital policy.
His appointment comes as OpenAI looks to strengthen its institutional presence globally, with Asia Pacific expected to play a central role in shaping the future of AI regulation and adoption.
As governments and companies race to define the rules of AI, OpenAI’s latest hire signals a clear intent to stay ahead of the policy curve while building trust in a rapidly transforming digital landscape.
