Nitin Bhandari Appointed as PepsiCo's VP and GM for India and South Asia Beverages

PepsiCo has announced the appointment of Nitin Bhandari as Vice President and General Manager for its beverage business in India and South Asia. Based in Gurugram, Bhandari will focus on driving growth, strengthening consumer engagement, and fostering stronger relationships with stakeholders and communities across the region.

He succeeds George Kovoor, who will retire as Senior Vice President and General Manager for India Beverages on March 31, 2025.

With nearly two decades of experience at PepsiCo, Bhandari has held key leadership roles across India, Southeast Asia, and the Pacific. Most recently, he served as Vice President and Chief Growth Officer for PepsiCo India, where he led strategic initiatives spanning India, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, and Nepal. His previous assignments include overseeing operations in the Philippines, Malaysia, and Singapore, where he managed both beverage and food businesses.

Bhandari is known for launching successful e-commerce initiatives across Asia, revitalizing PepsiCo’s food business in Thailand, and crafting marketing strategies for iconic brands like Mountain Dew in India.

The appointment comes at a time of heightened competition in India’s beverage market, with Reliance Industries reviving the Campa-Cola brand and the Jubilant Bhartia Group investing ₹12,500 crore to acquire a 40% stake in Hindustan Coca-Cola Beverages.

Sharing his thoughts on the new role, Bhandari said:
"I’m excited to lead our beverages business in India and South Asia. I’m deeply grateful to Eugene Willemsen and Jagrut Kotecha for this opportunity and appreciate George Kovoor’s exceptional leadership over the last three years. I look forward to collaborating with our incredible team and bottling partners to unlock potential and create meaningful value for our consumers, communities, and stakeholders in this vibrant region."

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