Brands
Tejas Chaudhari to lead – quick commerce at Unilever
MUMBAI: Tejas Chaudhari has taken on a new challenge at Unilever, moving into the role of lead – quick commerce, where speed, scale and sharp execution are the order of the day.
After spending over four years building and shaping Unilever’s performance marketing engine, Chaudhari has signed off from his previous role as lead – performance marketing to head national account management for quick commerce platforms including Blinkit, Swiggy Instamart, Zepto and Big Basket.
Reflecting on the transition, Chaudhari described the move as anything but easy. He joined Hindustan Unilever when the performance marketing team was a five-member unit tucked away in a corner. Over 1,605 days, that small setup grew into a 20-plus strong team driving some of the company’s most critical digital growth levers.
The numbers were formidable. Annual media investments crossing 100 million dollars. Double-digit growth delivered year after year. Automation and AI-led systems built to scale performance marketing efficiently. Yet, Chaudhari says the real achievement was never the dashboards.
It was the people.
A team that questioned assumptions, cared more about outcomes than optics, and went on to top roles across AdTech, FMCG and entrepreneurship. The highs were shared victories. The lows signalled problems to be solved, not ignored.
Under his leadership, the function pushed hard for data-led decisions, defended the right spends, and often stepped beyond its formal mandate to solve larger business challenges. The learning curve, he says, never flattened.
Now, Chaudhari is turning his attention to a faster, more volatile arena. Quick commerce brings a different rhythm and a higher velocity, but the philosophy remains unchanged. Execution compounds.
As he steps into his new role at HUL, the marketer is clear-eyed about what lies ahead. More learning, some unlearning, and the familiar task of building once again.
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.
