Nestlé India announces leadership changes in dairy sector

INDIA – Nestlé India has announced senior management changes across its nutrition and dairy, and chocolates and confectionery businesses as part of an internal organisational restructuring scheduled to take effect on January 1, 2027.

Gopichandar Jagatheesan, currently Business Executive Officer (BEO) for chocolates and confectionery, has been nominated to succeed Vineet Singh as BEO for nutrition and dairy. Singh, who currently leads the nutrition and dairy business, will move to a new role with a Nestlé affiliate.

Meanwhile, Mansi Khanna, currently Chief Operating Officer of Dr. Reddy’s and Nestlé Health Science Limited, has been nominated to succeed Jagatheesan as BEO for chocolates and confectionery.

The appointments reflect an internal reorganisation at Nestlé India, which operates across multiple food and beverage categories, including dairy-based products, nutrition, confectionery and packaged foods.

Jagatheesan’s appointment to lead the nutrition and dairy division is a significant development for a business operating in India’s competitive dairy and nutrition markets.

Nestlé India’s nutrition and dairy portfolio serves consumers through products across nutrition and dairy-related categories.

Leading the division involves navigating changing consumer preferences, product innovation, market competition, and evolving demand for convenient, nutritious food products.

Nestlé India Q3 profit jumps 46% as tax cuts lift demand for products

The company reported a 46% year-on-year rise in quarterly profit, supported by stronger demand for packaged food products such as Maggi noodles and KitKat chocolates, following income and consumption tax cuts that lifted consumer spending. 

Net profit rose to 10.18 billion rupees (US$110.77 million) for the third quarter ended December 31, up from 6.96 billion rupees in the same period last year. 

Demand conditions in India have been gradually improving as inflation moderates and government-led tax reductions boost discretionary spending.

The measures have helped consumer goods companies recover from a prolonged slowdown in urban demand, which had been weighed down by weaker wage growth. 

Nestlé India’s third-quarter revenue rose nearly 19% to 56.67 billion rupees. The company said its KitKat and Munch chocolate brands recorded double-digit volume growth, driven by new product launches, expanded rural distribution and rising demand on quick-delivery platforms. 

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