Brands
Coca-Cola gets ex-army chief VP Malik as advisor
MUMBAI: Coca-Cola India has appointed retired general Ved Prakash Malik as the chairman of the Coca-Cola India advisory board (IAB). The IAB is the foremost advisory body within Coca-Cola India which advises the leadership team to formulate short and long-term strategies around various business issues. As the chairman, General Malik’s principal role along with other members of the IAB will be to provide guidance to Coca-Cola India on strategic matters and to ensure synergistic communication between the board and the management.
Coca-Cola India and South West Asia vice president public affairs and communications Ishteyaque Amjad says, “We are proud to have General V P Malik as the chairman of the India advisory board. He has been associated with us for many years and we have been benefitted by his guidance, leadership and vision. General Malik’s life and professional experience inspires us to become better in our pursuit to create value for India.”
The IAB meets bi-annually to review the performance of the company in India and discuss the strategic roadmap for the future. Some of the other distinguished members of the board include Deepak Parekh (chairman, HDFC Limited), SK Munjal (managing director, Hero Corporate Services Limited), Ustad Amjad Ali Khan (eminent musician), Kiran Mazumdar Shaw (chairman and managing director, Biocon Limited) and TV Mohandas Pai (chairman, Manipal Global Education Services).
General VP Malik mentions, “I have had the privilege to be associated with CCIPL for years and I am humbled by the trust reposed by the IAB in me. The company is on a transformative journey to offer more choices for beverages to consumers and help Indian farmers through the virtuous fruit circular economy initiatives. This is definitely an exciting time to make a significant contribution to the strategic direction of the firm.”
General Malik will succeed, late Naresh Chandra, padma vibhushan awardee, former Indian ambassador to the US (1996-2001) and cabinet secretary, government of India (1990-1992).
Well-known for his exceptional command during the Kargil War, the former army chief is a recipient of the prestigious param vishishta seva medal (PVSM) and ati vishishta seva medal (AVSM). His honours include ‘Excellence in Leadership’ award by Atur Foundation, Distinguished Fellowship of the Institute of Directors, New Delhi and ‘Pride of the Nation’, award by the Doon Citizens’ Council.
General Malik retired from service in September 2000 and has since been engaged with numerous committees, including two terms with the National Security Advisory Board. In 2007, he was part of the panel to select and rank Top Companies for Leaders in Asia Pacific Region by Hewitt Associates and Fortune Magazine. Currently, he is a member and advisor on the board of some well-known multinational companies.
Brands
Hiili names Sanjay Hemady as country manager India
Media veteran to drive digital decarbonisation push
MUMBAI: Climate tech firm Hiili has announced its entry into India, appointing industry veteran Sanjay Hemady as India country manager to steer its growth in one of the world’s fastest-expanding digital markets.
Hemady, a familiar name across India’s media and consulting circles, will lead Hiili’s India operations from Mumbai. His mandate is clear: help Indian companies measure, manage and reduce the carbon emissions generated by their digital services.
Hiili offers a scientifically validated platform, certified by the UC3M-Santander Big Data Institute, that enables businesses to improve the efficiency of their digital infrastructure while cutting emissions. As organisations race to meet ESG targets, the company positions itself as a practical bridge between climate pledges and measurable action.
“I’m happy to share that I’m starting a new position as country manager, India at Hiili,” Hemady said in a LinkedIn post, adding that the company aims to move beyond broad sustainability promises towards precise, science-based decarbonisation.
Hemady brings more than three decades of experience spanning print, television, radio and digital media. He has previously served as chief executive officer at HIT 95 FM, assistant general manager at CNBC TV18, and held leadership roles at MTV India and The Indian Express, among others. Most recently, he worked as an independent business consultant advising firms across media and technology.
With India’s digital economy expanding at pace, the environmental cost of data, streaming and online services is climbing quietly in the background. Hiili’s bet is that carbon efficiency will soon sit alongside cost efficiency in boardroom conversations.
For Hemady, the move marks a shift from selling airtime and ad inventory to championing climate accountability. If successful, Hiili’s India play could make digital growth not just faster, but cleaner too.
