Diageo India's Hina Nagarajan Paves The Way For Inclusivity & Growth

Hina Nagarajan, instrumental in driving Diageo India's growth and fostering inclusivity, previously served as the Managing Director for Diageo’s Africa and emerging markets. During her tenure, she orchestrated a turnaround in 37 African countries, establishing the region as a contributor to Diageo's global achievements.

Nagarajan's transformative leadership led to her current role as CEO and MD of Diageo India in July 2021, where she implemented a growth strategy aligned with evolving consumer trends. The Prestige & Above segment at the company achieved 22.8 per cent growth, contributing 86.4 per cent to net sales in FY23.

In an exclusive conversation with BW Marketing World, Nagarajan shares insights into her leadership values, fostering innovation, accomplishments at Diageo India, challenges faced as a woman leader and the company's commitment to gender equality and women's empowerment

Excerpt:

As a leader, what are the core values you strive to embody and instil in your team?

There are two fundamental areas that I focus on - ‘Working with the highest standards of integrity’ and ‘Encouraging my teams to define their purpose and the legacy they would like to leave behind.’ 

95 per cent of our employees are proud to work for Diageo (as per our internal employee survey – Your Voice) because they know that we want to do business the right way from grain to glass.

How do you intend to foster innovation and creativity within your team at Diageo India?

Innovation is right at the heart of our company’s growth strategy. Given the changing demographic of the Indian consumer, we must constantly assess their needs and motivations. We have a state-of-the-art R&D centre in Bangalore. We have invested Rs 45 crore to set up a state-of-the-art craft and innovation hub, ‘The Good Craft Co’ in Ponda, Goa to accelerate transformational innovation and strengthen our craft and premium portfolio.

We have launched innovations like Godawan, an artisanal single malt built around provenance, local craftsmanship and mindful luxury. Aligned to consumer preferences we have also launched Royal Challenge American Pride which is blended with bourbon and matured in charred American casks. We have also renovated our offerings like Black Dog, Royal Challenge, Signature and Antiquity for discerning consumers.

Reflecting on your career, what challenges have you faced as a woman in leadership, and how have you overcome them?

Women are usually held back by self-doubt or multiple responsibilities, especially in mid-career and that is the time they need a supportive workplace. As a woman leader in the alcobev sector, I have been championing inclusivity and diversity and creating opportunities for women and people from diverse backgrounds in Diageo. I want us to build an inclusive environment where everyone feels valued, respected and empowered to bring their authentic selves to work every day. 

Could you share a significant achievement under your leadership at Diageo India that you are particularly proud of?

As a woman leading the largest alco bev company in India, I want to normalise the category and open it up to more diverse talents and consumers who enjoy experiences that are unique.

Diageo India was recently recognised as a gold Employer by Pride Circle India Workplace Equality Index which makes me very proud.

On the business front, achieving double-digit profitable growth, tripling overall growth, becoming a debt-free company and doubling our share price since 2021 are milestones that stand out.

On a slightly broader note, in your opinion, what are the most pressing issues women face in the Indian corporate world today, and how can they be addressed?

While I have seen a growing intent and effort by corporates to retain and nurture women's leadership, we still have a long way to go. There is now an ongoing diversity mandate driven by both policy and corporate goals for both organisations and boards which is driving some change.

To drive change, organisations need to rethink work policies and provide flexibility and upskilling opportunities for women to confidently drive companies forward. And take bold bets with women's talent.

How does Diageo India support gender equality and the empowerment of women within the organisation?

27 per cent of our leadership team are women and we aim to have 33 per cent women representation within the organisation by 2025.

We will continue to drive inclusion through our market-leading progressive policies like pregnancy loss, menopause, gender-neutral insurance benefits and equal parental leave of 6 months.

In India, our programme Creative Comeback (also in New York and London) celebrates female and binary creative talents who are coming back into the workforce post a career break and find it very difficult to find jobs and roles that value their experience and balance without compromise, which is especially true of women. 

We have launched the Spirited Women’s Network (SWN) to engage, retain and develop female employees at Diageo. 

We are one of the founding members of the Unstereotype Alliance program in India, which aims to work with advertisers across industries to be progressive and inclusive in their advertising and communication world.

Our 100 per cent subsidiary, Royal Challengers Sports continues to own and run the Women’s Premier League team for Bangalore. This is yet another step in taking forward our narrative of inclusion and diversity.

How do you manage the balance between your professional responsibilities and personal life?

My family is the top priority and I make sure I am there when they need me most and find a way to deliver work outcomes around that. I spend quality time with my family, take a break from work one day of the weekend, indulge in various hobbies. I also meditate daily. The best way to balance life I have discovered is to not get into comparisons with anyone else but to live life the way it suits me. This is what drives mental wellness and balance.

What advice would you give to young women aspiring to leadership roles in their careers?

Believe in yourself irrespective of the industry you are working in and find your own balance in life. Believe you have the potential to be whoever you want to be. Don’t hesitate to try the unimaginable and be fearless. More than anything, ‘Speak Up! Express your ambitions’ and make sure you are heard.

It is also important to step out of your comfort zone, be courageous, express yourself fearlessly and believe in yourself.