Mondelez restructures Asia operations; Jaya Kumar to head SEA

The region has been structured around four business units: developed markets, Southeast Asia, India and China. “The new streamlined region structure is expected to fuel growth by enhancing collaboration, expediting decision-making and driving efficiencies,” said a spokesperson for the company. APAC currently accounts for about 15 per cent of the company’s revenues, behind Europe (39 per cent) and North America (20 per cent).

According to a spokesperson, the new structure highlights the importance of markets like India, China and Southeast Asia to the global Mondelez business. “These are growth engines for the global company and require undivided focus given their strategic importance to the global strategy.”

Anand Kripalu, who was leading the India and Southeast Asia businesses, will now handle only India, while Jaya Kumar, senior vice-president for strategy in Asia, will head the Southeast Asia division.

The move comes on the back of Sanjay Khosla’s retirement in December 2012. Khosla was executive vice-president and president of the company’s developing markets unit.

Kumar, who currently holds two designations, took on the new role in January. Around the completion of the spinoff in August 2012, he was made senior vice-president. Kumar was previously president of Pepsico's Quaker Foods & Snacks division. He is currently based in Singapore.

Kripalu joined Cadbury India as managing director in 2005. In 2008, he was promoted to president of  Asia for Cadbury. Following Kraft’s acquisition, he was named president of South Asia and Indochina and was in charge of India, Thailand and Vietnam. In 2012, Malaysia and Philippines were added to his remit.

Mondelez has five global business divisions: Europe, North America, Latin America, Asia-Pacific, and EEMEA (Eastern Europe, Middle East and Africa). Pradeep Pant leads the Asia-Pacific region. Pant will also oversee the newly formed EEMEA region. Lawrence MacDougall will lead the business in Middle East and Africa, reporting to Pant. Prior to joining Mondelez in 2008, Pant was at Fonterra Brands and Gillette.