Mars Wrigley India Appoints Nikhil Rao as CMO

New Delhi, Jan 12 (PTI) Chocolate and confectionary maker Mars Wrigley India on Friday announced the appointment of Nikhil Rao as its Chief Marketing Officer (CMO).

Rao joins Mars Wrigley India from Mondelez.

In this new position, Rao will steer the marketing, spearhead strategic initiatives, and direct the end-to-end execution of Mars Wrigley's portfolio strategy in India, according to a statement.

He will be based in Gurugram and report to Mars Wrigley India Country General Manager Tamer Kadry.

Mars Wrigley India is part of Mars Inc., a US-based multinational manufacturer of quality snacking, food, and pet care products and services.

"The India business is on a growth trajectory, and our constant endeavour has been to drive relevance, be consumer-focused and agile.

"Rao will play a pivotal role in ensuring that Mars Wrigley India continues innovating in the face of new and dynamic competition and ever-evolving consumer trends," Kadry said.

Prior to this, Rao, an alumnus of IIT Madras and IIM Calcutta, was the Vice President of Marketing for Mondelez Southeast Asia (SEA), where he had a career spanning nearly 25 years.

Mars Wrigley competes with global manufacturers such as Mondelez, Nestle and Ferrero in the Indian market.

It owns popular brands such as Snickers, Galaxy, Orbit, Doublemint, Boomer, Solano candy, and Pim Pom lollipop etc.