Bacardi India has appointed Vinay Golikeri as Managing Director, India. Vinay succeeds Sanjit Randhawa who, after nearly five years as Managing Director- India, will move to Dubai, UAE and take on his new role as Director, External Affairs, Asia Middle East & Africa and Global Travel Retail. Both roles will take effect from January 2023.

In his new role, Vinay will head the India Leadership Team and will report to Vijay Subramaniam, Regional President, Asia, Middle East & Africa, and Global Travel Retail. "India is a dynamic and fast-evolving market, and is vital to our global growth", said Vijay.

"As we continue to develop the Bacardi portfolio of

premium brands, Vinay's agility in identifying growth opportunities within diverse environments and his relentless focus on execution will be essential in achieving our future ambitions".

Vinay has been with Bacardi since 2003 and has a long and deep connection with the India market. He began his journey looking after the rum category in India and pursued his career with the company across global roles in London before taking on marketing and commercial leadership roles in GTR for Hong Kong and subsequently for Asia, Middle East and Africa. Vinay most recently held the position of Managing Director, Global Travel Retail, based in Dubai. During his tenure, he played a major part in the transformation of GTR as a strategic brand-building and commercial channel for the portfolio, delivering strong plans to build equity with emerging market travelers.

Randhawa brings a wealth of experience in external affairs across India and Southeast Asia, where he held prestigious roles as board member for numerous organizations including the International Spirits & Wines Association of India (ISWAI) and the Thai Alcohol Beverage Business Association (TABBA). With a career spanning more than 20 years with Bacardi, Randhawa delivered exceptional results in India, driving the business to grow year on year, the company said in a statement.