Restaurant India News: Radico Khaitan Appoints New CSO and CMO as Premium Strategy Takes Centre Stage

Radico Khaitan Ltd. has announced a leadership transition aligned with its priorities around premiumisation, global brand development, and operational readiness for the next growth phase. The company has elevated Sudhir Upadhyay to Chief Sales Officer and Kunal Madan to Chief Marketing Officer, reflecting a shift towards internal succession planning as the business sharpens execution across trade channels that are critical to the hospitality and on-trade ecosystem.

Both executives have spent over a decade with the company and bring long-term category experience, a move that signals continuity in distributor management, on-trade partnerships, and brand deployment across high-consumption markets. The leadership team under Managing Director Abhishek Khaitan includes Dilip Banthiya as Chief Financial Officer and Sanjeev Banga as President – International Business, supported by Sudhir Upadhyay, Kunal Madan, and Saket Somani, Head – Finance and Strategy, as the company aligns sales, marketing, and international expansion with premium-led growth.

Abhishek Khaitan said, “At Radico Khaitan, our growth has always been powered by people. We deeply believe that true leadership is not imported, it is cultivated. Over the years, we have consciously chosen to elevate talent from within the organisation, because when individuals are given responsibility, trust, and the opportunity to grow, leadership is shaped organically. Empowering our next generation of leaders is not just a strategic priority, it reflects our faith in our people and our conviction that those who grow with the organisation are best placed to carry its values forward. This belief continues to strengthen our leadership bench and enables us to build a future-ready, globally competitive company with purpose and pride.”

As part of the leadership transition, Amar Sinha has stepped down from his role as Chief Operating Officer. During his tenure, he worked across multiple growth phases and contributed to portfolio-level brand initiatives. On this development, Abhishek Khaitan added: “We sincerely appreciate Amar’s contributions during his tenure with the Company. His commitment and efforts across key initiatives have supported our growth journey, and we thank him for his dedication. We wish him the very best in his future endeavours.”

Amar Sinha said, “It has been an absolute privilege to be part of Radico Khaitan’s growth journey and to contribute during such an exciting phase of transformation and expansion for the Company. I would like to express my sincere gratitude to Mr. Abhishek Khaitan for his visionary leadership, unwavering trust, and constant encouragement, which have been instrumental in shaping the Company’s trajectory. His clarity of purpose and bold strategic direction have inspired all of us to raise the bar consistently. I am equally thankful to my colleagues across the organization for their collaboration and commitment. I am proud of what we have built together and remain confident that Radico Khaitan will continue to scale new heights in the years ahead.”

Sudhir Upadhyay, with over 25 years of industry experience and more than a decade with the company, steps into the Chief Sales Officer role after serving as National Sales Head for the past two years. His mandate includes tightening route-to-market execution, distributor productivity, and on-trade coverage, which directly impacts visibility and availability across hotels, bars, and restaurants. Kunal Madan, with over 20 years of experience and more than 12 years with the company, will oversee overall marketing strategy, brand architecture, and premiumisation, including the development of premium and luxury labels in domestic and travel retail channels.

To strengthen premium on-trade distribution, the company appointed Ajay Kakkar last year to lead the Premium On-Trade vertical. With over two decades of experience across modern trade, off-trade, and institutional sales, his focus is on expanding distribution in high-footfall hospitality accounts and strengthening presence in premium consumption venues.

The leadership changes point to a tighter alignment between sales execution, brand strategy, and premium on-trade expansion, as Radico Khaitan positions its portfolio for higher-value growth across hotels, bars, travel retail, and modern trade channels.