Brands
Ravi Makwana joins Vadilal as chief marketing officer
AHMEDABAD: Vadilal industries has roped in Ravi Makwana as chief marketing officer, handing the reins of its brand engine to a marketer shaped by some of India’s biggest consumer franchises, just as the ice-cream battle turns ferocious.
Makwana steps in at a moment of intensifying competition, with incumbents turning aggressive and challengers inventing new formats and categories. At vadilal, he will steer brand strategy, product innovation and go-to-market muscle as the company sharpens its play in a rapidly expanding market.
Before this move, Makwana was category head at Zydus Wellness. Earlier, he served as chief marketing officer at Tim Hortons India, part of the seed team that brought the global coffee chain to the country, leading marketing and product from the ground up. He also spent nearly four years at Tata consumer products, rising through roles from head of brand to marketing director, overseeing flagship brands such as Tata salt and managing large portfolios with full P&L responsibility.
His earlier career spans over six years at Asian Paints across brand and sales leadership roles, where he managed businesses worth over Rs 2,000 crore and drove double-digit growth in competitive markets. Makwana began his professional journey at accenture before switching lanes decisively to consumer marketing.
At Vadilal, he will work closely with managing director Himanshu Kanwar and a board comprising Shiv Shivakumar, Nagarajan Sivaramakrishnan, Shalini Raghavan, Gaurav Marathe, Rajesh Gandhi, Devanshu G and Janmajay Gandhi.
With nostalgia on his side and a bruising market ahead, Makwana’s mandate is clear: make Vadilal louder, sharper and harder to beat—one scoop at a time.
Brands
Devyani International names Sandeep Anand, Robinder Singh in key roles
Pizza Hut and Costa Coffee businesses see leadership refresh from April
MUMBAI: Devyani International has strengthened its senior leadership bench with a fresh set of appointments across its key brands, Pizza Hut and Costa Coffee, signalling a sharper focus on growth and brand momentum.
The company has appointed Sandeep Anand as chief marketing officer and business head for Pizza Hut. His appointment, approved by the board via a circular resolution on April 3, follows a recommendation by the Nomination and Remuneration Committee, as reported by CNBC-TV18. Anand will officially step into the role on April 6, 2026.
He takes over from Vijay Gogate, who currently serves as chief executive officer for Pizza Hut within the company’s operations. The move marks a strategic transition as the brand looks to sharpen its marketing and business playbook in a competitive quick service restaurant market.
Anand brings over two decades of experience across the food and FMCG sectors, with a strong track record in brand building and innovation. His career spans roles at major consumer-facing companies including Domino’s, Zydus Wellness, Zomato, GSK Consumer Healthcare, Reckitt and Ranbaxy, giving him a well-rounded perspective on both scale and agility.
Alongside this, Robinder Singh has been appointed business head for Costa Coffee and the company’s airport operations. He too will assume his new role on April 6, bringing more than 18 years of experience in operations, business expansion and customer experience transformation.
The twin appointments come at a time when Devyani International is doubling down on leadership depth to steer its portfolio through evolving consumer preferences and heightened competition. With fresh faces at the helm of two key verticals, the company appears set to brew up its next phase of growth with renewed energy.
