Radico strengthens leadership team, Amar Sinha exits

Radico Khaitan Ltd. has announced a key leadership transition aligned with its strategic priorities of premiumisation, global brand building and future readiness, with Amar Sinha stepping down from his role as Chief Operating Officer.

As part of the leadership progression, the company has elevated Sudhir Upadhyay as Chief Sales Officer and Kunal Madan as Chief Marketing Officer. Both are seasoned internal leaders with over a decade-long association with the company.

Under the leadership of Abhishek Khaitan, Managing Director, the core leadership team includes Dilip Banthiya, Chief Financial Officer, and Sanjeev Banga, President – International Business, supported by Sudhir Upadhyay, Chief Sales Officer; Kunal Madan, Chief Marketing Officer; and Saket Somani, Head – Finance & Strategy. The structure aims to combine institutional experience with fresh leadership energy to drive growth momentum across markets.

Sudhir, who brings over 25 years of industry experience and has been with the company for more than a decade, was previously National Sales Head for two years. In his new role, he will focus on strengthening execution capabilities and driving distribution excellence across markets.

Kunal, with over 20 years of experience across global sales and marketing and more than 12 years at Radico Khaitan, has been instrumental in building and scaling the company’s premium and luxury portfolio, including expanding its global travel retail presence. As CMO, he will lead overall marketing strategy, brand architecture and the premiumisation agenda.

Commenting on the leadership realignment, Abhishek said, “At Radico Khaitan, 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.”

To further enhance management bandwidth and accelerate premium growth, the company had on boarded Ajay Kakkar last year to head the Premium On-Trade vertical. With over two decades of industry experience, he is focused on expanding distribution and strengthening the company’s presence in high-growth on-premise segments.