Hires & Promotions: Unilever, Myntra, Flipkart, Care Hospitals

Unilever’s chief brand officer Aline Santos Farhat moves on

Aline Santos Farhat, who served as chief brand officer (followed by chief equity, diversity and inclusion officer) at Unilever, has stepped down from her position. Esi Eggleston Bracey, who is the chief growth and marketing officer will take over her marketing responsibilities. The responsibilities pertaining to global equity, diversity and inclusion will be looked after by the HR.

She says, “The longevity of a thirty-five-year career in such a vibrant company is a true privilege. To have learned and collaborated with many colleagues in our joint successes. To have been able to count on the wisdom of the many, many people — too many to name or count — who forever inspire me.”

The former chief brand officer adds, “This has been the joy and the highest achievement of my career thus far: to play a part in creating an inclusive environment where our diverse and brilliant people flourish and are empowered to be pioneers in the connected worlds of marketing, digital and ED&I. I am leaving Unilever at the end of March to embark on a whole new adventure (details of which are unknown even to me!)”

Farhat, began her innings at Unilever as global senior vice president, laundry, and rose to the ranks to hold positions such as executive vice president - global marketing, and chief diversity and inclusion officer.

In this role, Farhat led Unilever’s global marketing capabilities with a particular focus on digital upskilling, brand communication and innovation excellence. She was also responsible for the Unilever corporate brand and the Unilever Foundry (connecting Unilever brands with start-ups).

As the global head of diversity and inclusion, she led the gender balance agenda within Unilever.

Myntra appoints Venu Nair as its chief of strategic partnerships and omni-channel

Myntra has appointed Venu Nair, as its chief of strategic partnerships and omni-channel. Nair brings with him more than 30 years of experience in retail, sourcing, business analysis and strategy and joins Myntra’s senior leadership team where he will be responsible for strengthening the brand's existing international brands portfolio, while building strategic partnerships with leading global brands and will also be managing omni-channel strategy for brands. He will work closely with an able team of professionals, towards forging stronger partnerships, further elevating Myntra’s position as the strategic partner of choice for the world’s leading fashion, beauty and lifestyle brands, as they look at tapping into the burgeoning potential of the India market. 

Nair joins Myntra from Shoppers Stop, where he was the managing director and CEO. A leader with rich and varied experience in the retail and apparel Industry across parts of South Asia and Europe, he has also served as the CEO of Westside, a part of Trent. In addition, he has led the commercial operations of Zudio and Landmark during his stint at Trent. Before this, he was the MD of Marks and Spencer Reliance, the India operations of M&S, where he spearheaded the brand’s growth, doubling the number of stores, while also significantly strengthening the business.

Flipkart Group’s Ayappan R moves on after 11 years

Ayappan R, CEO of Cleartrip and SVP of Flipkart Group, has decided to move on after a stint of over 11 years with the eCommerce company.

In a social media post, Ayappan R wrote of setting out to start his venture in the consumer tech space. 

Before joining Flipkart, he was chief business officer, senior vice president at Myntra.

Care Hospitals Group appoints Shalabh Dang as chief sales and marketing officer

Care Hospitals has named Shalabh Dang as its chief sales and marketing officer. With a distinguished career spanning over two and a half decades, Dang brings a wealth of cross-domain experience to his new role.

Before joining Care Hospitals, Dang served as the group head - domestic, international sales and collections for Fortis Healthcare. His last assignment was with Red.Health as the chief revenue officer. His impressive career also includes notable stints at renowned companies such as Philips, Vodafone, and TATA Teleservices.

Jasdeep Singh, group CEO of Care Hospitals, says, "We are delighted to welcome Shalabh Dang to CARE Hospitals as our Chief Sales and Marketing Officer. His extensive experience and proven track record in healthcare and other industries make him an invaluable asset to our organisation. We look forward to leveraging his expertise to further enhance our brand and outreach."

Dang's contributions to the healthcare industry were recognised with the prestigious Top 100 Global Healthcare Leader Award in Dubai in 2019, presented by the International Forum on Advancements in Healthcare (IFAH).

"I am honoured to be a part of CARE Hospitals, a renowned institution committed to providing quality healthcare. I look forward to contributing to the growth and success of the organisation, and together with the team, we will continue to make a positive impact on the country’s healthcare landscape." Dang comments.