Brands
Manmeet Ahluwalia pilots and lands at EaseMyTrip
NEW DELHI: Manmeet Ahluwalia has landed at EaseMyTrip as chief marketing officer, bringing 30 years of battle-tested experience from the frontlines of travel and hospitality marketing. The appointment, effective October 2025, marks another chapter for an executive who has left his mark everywhere from Expedia’s global sponsorships to the luxury corridors of Oberoi Hotels.
Ahluwalia’s CV reveals a much travelled career over several travel brands. At Expedia group, where he spent nearly 11 years, he orchestrated the company’s sponsorship of UEFA Champions League as official travel partner—designing omnichannel campaigns that spanned stadium perimeter branding, influencer marketing and co-branded partnerships across North America, Asia-Pacific and Europe. He drove the company’s India entry and market-share growth whilst simultaneously running employer branding for Expedia’s Gurgaon capability centre, the firm’s third-largest facility globally after Seattle and London.
Before Expedia, Ahluwalia cut his teeth at Yatra.com as senior marketing manager, led digital marketing across three continents for Oberoi Hotels & Resorts, and managed tourism business across North and East India for Singapore Tourism Board. His stint at Marriott International saw him deliver 30,000 room nights for the hotel giant’s global network.
More recently, Ahluwalia served as director of brand and performance channels at Sommet Education, the world leader in hospitality management education, where he drove a 30 per cent year-on-year increase in student intake. He also held the director of marketing communications role at Ahmedabad University, establishing brand leadership through digital acquisition strategies.
Between his corporate roles, Ahluwalia co-founded Brand Muse Consulting in November 2024—a boutique collective offering strategic counsel on brand positioning and creative development. The venture, which wrapped up in November 2025 just before his EaseMyTrip appointment, handled select advisory engagements with founders and marketing teams seeking external perspective on brand clarity.
His appointment arrives as India’s online travel sector heats up. EaseMyTrip will be banking on Ahluwalia’s playbook: omnichannel campaigns, performance marketing, influencer partnerships and the kind of data-driven rigour that drove results at his previous stops. With three decades of making brands sing in competitive markets, he knows the tune well enough.
Brands
Radico Khaitan appoints Kunal Madan as chief marketing officer
Promotions signal focus on premium spirits, global expansion and homegrown leadership
UTTAR PRADESH: Radico Khaitan has elevated two long-serving insiders to its top leadership team, signalling a bold push into premium spirits and global markets. Kunal Madan steps in as chief marketing officer, while Sudhir Upadhyay takes charge as chief sales officer, both part of what managing director Abhishek Khaitan calls a consciously built next-generation leadership bench.
“At Radico Khaitan, our growth has always been powered by people,” Khaitan said. “True leadership is not imported, it is cultivated.” He added that empowering internal talent ensures continuity while keeping the company globally competitive and future-ready.
Madan, with over 20 years of experience across global sales and marketing, will drive brand architecture, marketing strategy, and the premiumisation agenda, including travel retail. Upadhyay, who has 25 years in the industry and was most recently national sales head, will oversee distribution expansion and execution across markets.
The leadership reshuffle comes amid Radico’s intensified focus on premium spirits, a segment driving higher margins and international growth. Last year, Ajay Kakkar was brought on to head the Premium On-Trade vertical, targeting modern and institutional channels to boost presence in high-growth segments.
Meanwhile, Amar Sinha stepped down as chief operating officer after contributing across multiple growth phases. Khaitan acknowledged Sinha’s role in supporting the company’s trajectory, while Sinha described his tenure as “an absolute privilege,” crediting Khaitan’s leadership for shaping the company’s strategic direction.
With a homegrown leadership bench and a clear premium agenda, Radico Khaitan is set to accelerate its global expansion while doubling down on brand elevation and market impact.
