Procter & Gamble (P&G) on Tuesday said LV Vaidyanathan will take over as the chief executive officer (CEO) from Madhusudan Gopalan for its operations in India from July 1, 2022.
Vaidyanathan currently leads the P&G business in Indonesia as CEO, where he has been responsible for industry-leading growth and value creation for the company. Under his leadership, the Indonesian business has transformed to become value-accretive for the parent firm and has overtaken a formidable competitor in the market by turning around the share gap in the last four years, the company said in a statement.
An alumnus of IIM Ahmedabad, Vaidyanathan started his journey with P&G in 1995 as an intern and joined the India sales team from campus in 1996. He has more than 26 years of experience across diverse geographies like India and ASEAN countries including Singapore, Philippines, Thailand and Vietnam.
Gopalan is moving on to the role of senior vice-president for the grooming and oral care business of P&G, Japan & Korea. During his four-year tenure at the helm of P&G India, Gopalan led the transformation of the business and consistently delivered sustainable top and bottom-line growth.
Commenting on Vaidyanathan’s appointment, Magesvaran Suranjan, P&G president, Asia Pacific, West Asia and Africa, said, “I want to thank Madhusudan for his outstanding leadership of the India organisation over the last four years. Not only has his leadership been exemplary to guide the company through the pandemic, but he is also leaving the business well-positioned to win in India for years to come. I am thrilled with LV Vaidyanathan’s appointment as the India CEO, who has been an integral part of the P&G growth story for well over two decades.”
Madhusudan Gopalan said, “It has been a great honour to lead the P&G business in India, my home country where I started my P&G career. The four-year journey has been an enriching and rewarding one and I am proud of what we have achieved together as the India team. I am delighted with the appointment of LV Vaidyanathan as my successor, one of India’s home-grown talents who I firmly believe has the right expertise to lead the growth of our business in India in the years to come.”
Commenting on his appointment as the CEO, Vaidyanathan said, “It is a moment of great pride for me to come back to India and spearhead the P&G business. For us, going forward, it will be important to continue the focus on our strategy which is delivering consistent results. We will raise the bar on all aspects of our superiority strategy– product, package, brand communication, retail execution, and value.”
