Hindustan Coca-Cola Beverages (HCCB), the bottling arm of Coca-Cola in India, has announced the appointment of Hemant Rupani as its new Chief Executive Officer, effective September 8, 2025. Rupani, who most recently served as President of Mondelez South East Asia, will succeed Juan Pablo Rodriguez, who is moving to a new role within the Coca-Cola global system.
Rupani brings with him nearly a decade of experience at Mondelez International, where he oversaw operations across key Southeast Asian markets including Indonesia, the Philippines, Vietnam, Malaysia, Singapore, and Thailand. His prior roles include stints at ICI India, PepsiCo, Infosys Technologies, and Britannia.
“Hemant joins HCCB with a strong track record in building consumer brands and leading complex regional operations,” Coca-Cola said in a statement. “He is well-positioned to lead HCCB through its next phase of transformation and growth.”
This leadership transition comes on the heels of a major structural change for HCCB. In December 2024, Jubilant Bhartia Group acquired a 40% stake in the bottling company for approximately ₹12,500 crore, marking the group’s biggest investment to date. The acquisition was made through Jubilant Beverages Limited, a subsidiary of the group.
HCCB, one of India’s largest beverage companies, manages bottling, distribution, and marketing operations for Coca-Cola’s extensive portfolio, including Thums Up, Sprite, Maaza, and Kinley. With the entry of Jubilant Bhartia Group—also the promoter of Jubilant FoodWorks, the master franchisee of Domino’s Pizza in India—Coca-Cola’s bottling operations in India are expected to become more dynamic and growth-focused.
The leadership change and strategic partnership signal a renewed focus on expanding Coca-Cola’s footprint in India’s competitive and evolving beverage market.