Kaplesh Parmar To Lead Confectionary Maker Mars Wrigley As New General Manager

Confectionery maker Mars Wrigley has dignified its India head Kaplesh Parmar to a global role as General Manager, Asia. Parmar will lead 20 markets in Asia, including India. The maker of Snickers, Galaxy and M&Ms chocolates has introduced Tamer Kadry, currently VP of new markets, future growth, Global Emerging Markets (GEM) region, to succeed Parmar as country general manager of India.

After leading the India business for three years with double-digit growth, Parmar will head the company’s Asia business with immediate effect. In his new role, he would lead oversee operations of the chocolate, gum, and fruity confections segments across all Asia markets as well as the pet nutrition segment in South Korea, Taiwan, and Hong Kong, the firm said in a statement on Thursday.

Parmar joined the India business in January 2020.

Kadry has been associated with Mars for over two decades, across multiple geographies in Europe, CIS, Asia-Pacific, and the Middle East and Africa (MEA), the statement stated.

Parmar stated: “Guided by Mars’ five principles and led by a highly capable leadership team, the India business has turned around marking double-digit growth.”

India is amid the fastest growing markets for the $45 billion confectionery and chocolate maker Mars Inc and the local business is expected to double in the next four-five years.

The firm, which also sells M&Ms, Skittles, Bounty and Twix, is in the process of evaluating additional investments for capacity expansion, in addition to Rs 1,000 crore it has already invested in its three plants near Pune, Baddi and Bengaluru.

Mars Wrigley competes aggressively with Mondelez, besides Nestle and Amul, in addition to smaller players like Ferrero, in the Rs 27,000-crore chocolates and confectionery category.