Ram Gopalakrishnan appointed CEO of Vadilal’s international business

MUMBAI: Vadilal is putting a new scoop on its international growth story. Ram Gopalakrishnan has been appointed chief executive officer of Vadilal Industries USA Inc., taking charge of Vadilal’s international business.

Gopalakrishnan announced the move on LinkedIn, describing it as a new chapter in his career and a return to a brand he has known since childhood. He said the opportunity brings together his Indian roots and nearly two decades of experience building consumer brands in the US.

The executive joins Vadilal after a career spanning senior marketing, growth, digital commerce and general management roles at major consumer businesses including Procter & Gamble, The Clorox Company and Nestlé.

Before taking up the Vadilal role, Gopalakrishnan served as chief growth officer at Ethos Pet Brands between June and August 2026. He had earlier been the company’s chief digital and ecommerce officer from October 2025 to June 2026.

At Nestlé Health Science, he was general manager, direct to consumer and omni channel health and nutrition brands, from October 2023 to August 2025. His responsibilities included leading a more than $400 million direct-to-consumer business, with a focus on brand growth, ecommerce, customer acquisition, retention and profitability.

His tenure at Clorox included leadership roles across ecommerce and brand management. He served as marketing director and commercial leader for Kingsford Fuel and Food from January 2021 to September 2023, after previously leading ecommerce across Amazon, Walmart.com and direct-to-consumer businesses.

Earlier, at P&G, Gopalakrishnan held several marketing and commercial roles, including growth transformation sales director and global and North America brand manager for Pampers.

In his LinkedIn announcement, Gopalakrishnan said Vadilal’s strong connection with Indian consumers and its growing international footprint were key attractions.

He noted that the brand has a particularly strong presence among the Indian diaspora, while describing the new role as an opportunity to help build a global ice cream brand originating from India.

Gopalakrishnan also highlighted the international team he is now working with, saying the commitment he has seen in his first few weeks has given him confidence in what the business can build.

The appointment comes as Vadilal continues to develop its international operations, with its products serving consumers beyond the Indian market. Gopalakrishnan’s background across consumer packaged goods, brand building, ecommerce and omnichannel growth is expected to shape his approach to the business.

The executive holds an MBA from Duke University – The Fuqua School of Business and a master’s degree in electrical engineering from Clemson University.

For Gopalakrishnan, the appointment also carries a personal connection. Reflecting on his new role, he described it as a full-circle moment, moving from growing up with Vadilal in Bombay to helping take the Indian-origin brand further into global markets.

With a consumer-brand veteran now at the helm of its international business, Vadilal’s next chapter will centre on turning that familiar Indian name into an increasingly global proposition.