Mumbai: Mondelez International has appointed Ankit Desai as Senior Director of Marketing, tasking him with steering one of its most critical portfolios in India—the $1 billion-plus chocolates and tablets business.
Desai will lead both marketing and P&L for a powerhouse brand lineup that includes Cadbury Dairy Milk, Cadbury Silk, Bournville, Crispello and Nutties—brands that continue to anchor India’s chocolate consumption and premiumisation trends.
The move signals Mondelez’s continued focus on strengthening its leadership in India’s fast-evolving confectionery market, where premium offerings and category expansion are gaining momentum.
Desai joins the company after nearly seven years at The Hershey Company, where he held multiple leadership roles spanning India and the Asia-Pacific region. Most recently, he served as General Manager – APAC, operating out of Singapore and overseeing key markets including China, Australia and New Zealand.
Prior to that, he led South Asia as General Manager and served as Chief Marketing Officer for Hershey India between 2021 and 2024. In this role, he played a pivotal part in expanding the company’s footprint across chocolates, spreads, syrups and cocoa-based products, while strengthening brand equity in a highly competitive market.
His earlier tenure at Hershey also included roles such as AVP – Marketing and Category Head, where he contributed to product innovation and global strategy through the company’s Global Innovations Council.
Desai’s career spans over a decade in FMCG, with stints at Kellogg Company and Perfetti Van Melle. At Kellogg, he worked on building the muesli and hot cereals category in India, while at Perfetti Van Melle, he developed deep expertise across sales, trade marketing and brand management.
With cross-market exposure and a strong track record in scaling food and confectionery brands, Desai’s appointment comes at a time when Mondelez is doubling down on innovation, premiumisation and deeper market penetration in India.
