Supply Chain

Hindustan Coca-Cola Beverages (HCCB) has announced a set of senior leadership appointments as part of its push to strengthen execution across critical business functions, including supply chain, commercial operations, people, and transformation. The company has named Avinash Kant Kumar as Head of Integrated Supply Chain, Vinay Nair as Chief Commercial Officer, Ritesh Pratap Singh as Chief Human Resources Officer, Sunaina Dhanuka as Head of Strategy, and Girish Sivaraman as Vice-President, Commercial Transformation. Commenting on the leadership changes, HCCB CEO Hemant Rupani said the appointments underline the company’s focus on building robust execution capabilities and deepening organisational strength to support its next phase of growth. Avinash Kant Kumar will oversee end-to-end supply chain operations, with an emphasis on resilience, efficiency, and scalability. He brings over 30 years of experience across supply chain, procurement, and operations, and joins HCCB from Jubilant Foodworks, where he served as President. His earlier stints include leadership roles at McCain Foods, Reliance Retail, Al Foah, and Procter & Gamble. Vinay Nair, appointed Chief Commercial Officer, will lead the company’s commercial strategy and drive growth across channels and markets. With 25 years of experience in the Coca-Cola system, he has played a key role in building partnerships and expanding market presence. Ritesh Pratap Singh, the new Chief Human Resources Officer, will head HCCB’s people and culture agenda, focusing on leadership development, organisational capability, and fostering a high-performance culture. He joins from Tata Projects and has previously held senior HR roles at Tata Trusts and IHCL (Taj Hotels). Sunaina Dhanuka has been elevated to Head of Strategy, alongside her current role as Chief of Staff to the CEO. She will lead the company’s growth and transformation initiatives. Her career spans multiple roles within the Coca-Cola system across ASEAN and South Pacific regions, as well as experience with global organisations such as Unilever, Macquarie, Morgan Stanley, and Arthur Andersen. Girish Sivaraman, appointed Vice-President, Commercial Transformation, will drive HCCB’s commercial transformation efforts, focusing on go-to-market excellence, sales effectiveness, and capability building. He brings extensive experience across India and international markets, having worked with companies including Mondelez International, Pepsi, Varun Beverages, Britannia, and Vodafone. HCCB works closely with over 2.5 lakh farmers and operates 14 manufacturing plants across India, with a strong footprint in the southern and western regions of the country. Source: Economic Times