Brands
PepsiCo India appoints Saakshi Verma Menon as chief marketing officer for foods
Mumbai: PepsiCo India has named Saakshi Verma Menon as its new chief marketing officer (CMO) for the foods division, as outgoing CMO Anshul Khanna moves into a new role within the company. The announcement comes amid heightened competition and renewed strategic focus on the Indian packaged foods segment.
Menon, a key member of PepsiCo’s India leadership team, will lead the marketing strategy for the company’s foods portfolio, which includes household brands such as Lay’s, Kurkure, Uncle Chipps, Quaker, Cheetos, and Doritos.
“Super pumped to work on some of the most iconic and beloved brands from the house of PepsiCo,” Menon wrote in a LinkedIn post. “These brands have been part of everyday moments for millions, and I’m excited to shape the next chapter of their journey.”
Menon steps into the new role after leading regional brand initiatives for PepsiCo’s AMESA (Africa, Middle East and South Asia) business, where she managed cross-market campaigns for core beverages including Pepsi, 7Up, and Mountain Dew. With over 20 years of marketing experience, she has also held senior roles at Colgate-Palmolive, Uber, and Kimberly-Clark, bringing a blend of global insight and local consumer acumen.
PepsiCo India reported revenues of Rs 8,877 crore and profit after tax of Rs 883.4 crore for the financial year ended 31 December 2024. The company’s snacks segment contributed over Rs 6,800 crore, underscoring the strength of its packaged foods portfolio.
India’s packaged foods market is currently valued at Rs 3.6 trillion, while the carbonated beverages segment stood at $18.25 billion in 2022, according to ICRIER. PepsiCo faces strong competition from both multinational and domestic players, including Coca-Cola, ITC, Bikaji, and Haldiram’s, with bottling operations managed by its partner, Varun Beverages.
To bolster local manufacturing and supply chain capabilities, PepsiCo India last year announced a Rs 1,266 crore investment to set up a flavour manufacturing facility in Ujjain, MadhyaPradesh, expected to be operational in Q1 2026. A second facility is also being developed in Tamil Nadu, reaffirming the company’s long-term commitment to the Indian market.
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Brands
Tech Mahindra names Jeetu Anandani VP & country head – enterprise & strategic accounts
Veteran tech leader to drive enterprise growth across Australia and New Zealand
MELBOURNE: Jeetu Anandani has stepped into a larger leadership role at Tech Mahindra, taking charge as vice president and country head for enterprise and strategic growth across Australia and New Zealand.
Based in Melbourne, Anandani will steer the company’s enterprise portfolio in the ANZ region, focusing on expanding business across high-growth sectors such as retail, energy and utilities, health insurance and logistics. The move signals Tech Mahindra’s intent to deepen its presence in one of the world’s most competitive enterprise technology markets.
In his new role, Anandani will lead growth initiatives, build strategic partnerships and strengthen relationships with key stakeholders across industries. His mandate also includes accelerating business development efforts in sectors such as manufacturing, travel and logistics while helping clients navigate digital transformation and AI-led change.
The promotion caps a steady rise within Tech Mahindra. Anandani most recently served as communications, media and entertainment head for BPS across the Asia Pacific and Japan region, where he worked on expanding enterprise deals and strategic partnerships. Before that, he held the role of account director, managing key client relationships and delivery programmes.
Prior to joining Tech Mahindra in 2020, Anandani spent nearly eight years at Telstra as country manager in Mumbai, overseeing operational growth and partnerships. His earlier career includes leadership stints at Tata Consultancy Services, Vodafone and JPMorgan Chase.
With more than two decades of experience across telecom, banking and IT services, Anandani now takes the helm of Tech Mahindra’s enterprise push in ANZ, a region where demand for AI, digital transformation and large-scale technology partnerships continues to gather pace.
