Hires & Promotions: Abbott, Costa Coffee

Unilever's Ramya Venkat joins Abbott as Director - Integrated Marketing

Ramya Venkat, who led Unilever as senior regional brand manager for Indulekha, has joined Abbott as director - integrated marketing.

Venkat shared, "As the song goes, every new beginning comes from some other beginning’s end. My time at HUL has been nothing short of remarkable and I want to thank everyone who has been a part of my journey. I’m excited for this next professional chapter I’m about to embark upon."

She started her career at Ogilvy & Mather as an account supervisor and went on to work across Johnson& Johnson, and then joined Unilever as assistant brand manager for Wheel, Sunlight and Magic.

Sreejit Madhavan Nair resigns as CEO of Costa Coffee; Kamaljit Singh Bedi to take over

Sreejit Madhavan Nair has stepped down as the CEO of Costa Coffee, Devyani International, citing personal reasons. His resignation marks the end of his tenure at the helm of the popular coffee chain, and the company is now set to undergo a leadership shift.

Kamaljit Singh Bedi, who has been serving as the CEO of Institutional Business and New Business Ventures since May 14, 2024, has been appointed as the new CEO of Costa Coffee and Airport Business.

The change will take effect from the close of business on January 8, 2025.

Bedi, a Senior Management Personnel with over 25 years of diverse experience in leading brands, holds a postgraduate degree in Marketing and Export Management.

Throughout his career, Bedi has worked with renowned companies and brands, including ITC, Levi's, Airtel, Mattel Inc., BIBA, Creambell, and Rich Products, bringing a wealth of expertise in business development and brand strategy to his new role.