MUMBAI: Ekta Upadhyay has been promoted to assistant general manager and head of marketing at Devyani International, where she will oversee Costa Coffee, the company’s airports business, and New York Fries operations. The appointment marks an expansion of her remit beyond the 300-plus Costa Coffee stores she previously managed.
Upadhyay, who has spent over 14 years in brand marketing across sectors including fast-moving consumer goods, automobiles and e-commerce, will now focus on scaling the airports vertical and growing the New York Fries quick-service restaurant brand. Her promotion comes as Devyani International, one of India’s largest restaurant operators, seeks to diversify its portfolio beyond its core pizza and coffee offerings.
Before joining Costa Coffee in 2023, Upadhyay held senior marketing positions at Apollo Tyres, where she managed communications across the Asia Pacific, Middle East and Africa regions, and at fashion e-tailer Koovs.com, where she led brand strategy for the London Stock Exchange-listed company.
Her career began at media agencies VivaKi and Mindshare, where she handled major accounts including PepsiCo and Yum Restaurants, developing expertise in traditional and digital media buying.
The appointment signals Devyani International’s ambition to strengthen its marketing capabilities as it expands beyond its traditional restaurant formats into higher-margin airport locations and new quick-service concepts.