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Tag: Kedar Lele

  • Castrol India appoints Kedar Lele as managing director

    Castrol India appoints Kedar Lele as managing director

    Mumbai: Castrol India has announced the appointment of Kedar Lele as its new managing director, effective 1 November 2024.

    Kedar joins Castrol India after an illustrious two-decade-long career at Hindustan Unilever (HUL), where he last served as the executive director of the company, responsible for sales & customer development, South Asia. With his deep expertise in leading high-performing teams, driving growth, and fostering innovation, Kedar is set to play a pivotal role in steering Castrol India’s future in the evolving automotive and lubricants industry.

    Castrol India chairman Rakesh Makhija said, “We are delighted to welcome Kedar to Castrol India. His vast experience in driving growth and leading large teams in complex markets makes him an outstanding choice to lead Castrol India. I would also like to take this opportunity to thank Sandeep for his exceptional leadership over the past few years. His contributions have been invaluable in strengthening our position in the market, and we wish him success in his new global role.”

    Lele said, “Castrol is a widely recognised brand in the lubricants industry, and I am very excited to lead Castrol India in its next leg of growth and transformation. A key priority for me will be to continue to expand our portfolio coupled with effective deployment models to drive business growth. We will continue to use our trusted brand, innovative product portfolio and cutting-edge technology to stay at the forefront of India’s mobility sector. My experience of working with different categories and geographies has prepared me well to build winning teams while cultivating a spirit of innovation and discipline of execution excellence that aligns with Castrol’s ambitious growth plans.”

    To ensure a smooth leadership transition, Kedar has been collaborating with outgoing managing director Sandeep Sangwan since 1 September 2024. This period has enabled Kedar to gain insights into the company’s operations and build relationships with key stakeholders.

    Sandeep will take on the role of global chief marketing officer at Castrol’s headquarters in London starting 1 November 2024.

    With Kedar leading in India, Castrol is positioned for ongoing success in the region. The company remains focused on maintaining its market position, driving innovation, and creating value for its stakeholders.

  • Kedar Lele departs HUL after two decades

    Kedar Lele departs HUL after two decades

    Mumbai: After two decades with Hindustan Unilever, Kedar Lele has moved on from the company, where he most recently served as executive director, head of sales and customer development, South Asia. The announcement was made through a LinkedIn post.

    He initially joined the FMCG giant in April 2004 and returned in November 2010. During his time at HUL, Kedar Lele held multiple leadership positions.

    Lele is a highly experienced business leader, with over 20 years of expertise spanning advertising, internet companies, FMCG marketing, sales and customer development, and general management.

    An alumnus of the Indian School of Business, Lele has also had professional stints with companies like Kimberly Clark Lever, Mudra Communications, and Monster.com, among others.

  • HUL appoints Kedar Lele as ED, customer development

    Mumbai: Hindustan Unilever Limited (HUL) has rejigged its top management on Thursday and appointed Kedar Lele as its executive director for customer development from 1 July.

    Lele, currently chairman and managing director of Unilever Bangladesh takes over from Srinandan Sundaram, who will move into a new role as executive director for foods and refreshment.

    Lele joined HUL in 2004 and was inducted into the company’s management committee. Prior to his Bangladesh stint, he was responsible for leading the e-commerce and modern trade business and oversaw the customer development centre for HUL.

    “Under his leadership, the Bangladesh business made great all-around progress – be it in CD coverage expansion, the transformation of our supply chain, or setting up sustainable models for market development. I would especially like to laud Kedar’s efforts towards developing talent and improving diversity in the Bangladesh business. I am certain that Kedar will take the HUL customer development function to the next level of performance,” HUL chairman & managing director Sanjiv Mehta said.

    Lele moved to Dhaka in 2017 to head the Unilever Bangladesh business. He led the business operations, sales & customer development function and oversaw the go-to-market organisation involving marketing, customer and trade management, media, marketing research, and activation there.