Mondelēz International has appointed Vidya Kailasam Hangal as Director – Category Planning & Activation (Head – Customer Marketing) in India. An XLRI Jamshedpur alumna, she brings deep expertise across omnichannel, e-commerce, data-led transformation, and FMCG brand leadership to drive sustainable, customer-centric category growth.
In a move that underscores the growing importance of customer-centric, digitally enabled category leadership in India’s fast-moving consumer goods sector, Mondelēz International has appointed Vidya Kailasam Hangal as Director – Category Planning & Activation (Head – Customer Marketing). In her new role, Vidya will lead category strategy and activation across channels in India, at a time when consumption patterns are fragmenting, channels are multiplying, and brands are being challenged to remain both locally relevant and globally consistent.
The appointment reflects Mondelēz’s strategic focus on sharpening its category-led growth model in one of its most critical emerging markets. India has become a testing ground for innovation across formats—from traditional kirana stores and modern trade to quick commerce, e-commerce marketplaces, and brand-owned digital touchpoints. Vidya’s mandate sits squarely at this intersection, where insight-led planning must translate into execution excellence across an increasingly complex retail and media ecosystem.
An alumnus of XLRI Jamshedpur, Vidya brings to the role a reputation for blending rigorous commercial thinking with digital-first execution. Over the years, she has emerged as a leader who understands not just how categories grow, but why consumers behave the way they do within them—and how brands can respond with speed, relevance, and scale. Her work has consistently focused on building sustainable growth engines rather than chasing short-term wins, a quality that has become essential as FMCG companies recalibrate strategies amid inflationary pressures, shifting loyalties, and heightened competition.
Vidya’s journey at Mondelēz International has been marked by a series of pivotal leadership roles that have given her a holistic view of the business. She has worked across Omnichannel, Organized Trade, E-commerce, and Consumer Digital Transformation, gaining deep exposure to the mechanics of how brands show up differently across platforms while staying true to a unified strategy. In these roles, she has steered large-scale businesses and led initiatives spanning first-party data, marketing technology, and customer experience, helping the organisation move from fragmented execution to more integrated, insight-driven decision-making.
One of the defining aspects of her tenure at Mondelēz has been her involvement in building and leveraging first-party data capabilities. As consumer journeys increasingly blur between online and offline touchpoints, the ability to capture, interpret, and activate data has become a competitive differentiator. Vidya has been at the forefront of translating these capabilities into practical outcomes—informing assortment planning, tailoring channel-specific activations, and improving the relevance of brand engagement across the funnel. Her work has highlighted how data, when aligned with strong category fundamentals, can unlock disproportionate growth.
Her experience in omnichannel and e-commerce has been particularly significant in the Indian context, where digital adoption has accelerated rapidly but unevenly. Rather than viewing digital channels in isolation, Vidya has consistently advocated for an ecosystem approach—one that recognises the role of each channel in driving discovery, trial, and repeat purchase. This perspective has been instrumental in helping Mondelēz navigate the rise of quick commerce, the evolution of online grocery, and the continued dominance of traditional retail, all while ensuring that category priorities remain clear and coherent.
Before joining Mondelēz, Vidya built strong foundations in FMCG through her time at Britannia Industries Limited, one of India’s most respected food companies. At Britannia, she managed both key accounts and brand portfolios, gaining first-hand experience of the operational realities of scale, distribution, and retailer partnerships. These roles sharpened her understanding of how strategic intent must be grounded in execution discipline, especially in a market as diverse and price-sensitive as India. The exposure also strengthened her ability to balance brand-building with commercial imperatives, a skill that has remained central to her leadership style.
Earlier in her career, Vidya had exposure with The Coca-Cola Company, an organisation renowned globally for its marketing excellence and route-to-market capabilities. This early experience helped shape her appreciation for system thinking, consistency in brand execution, and the power of consumer insight. Working within such a large, process-driven multinational environment provided her with a global lens, which she has since adapted to the unique nuances of the Indian market.
Across these roles and organisations, a common thread has been Vidya’s ability to connect brands, consumers, and channels in meaningful ways. Rather than treating marketing, sales, and digital as separate silos, her work reflects a belief that true impact lies at their intersection. This philosophy aligns closely with the evolving role of customer marketing, which is no longer just about in-store visibility or promotional planning, but about orchestrating end-to-end experiences that are consistent, contextual, and measurable.
As Director – Category Planning & Activation, Vidya’s focus will be on strengthening category strategies that are rooted in consumer understanding while being responsive to channel dynamics. This includes defining clear category roles, shaping portfolio priorities, and ensuring that activation plans are tailored to the realities of each channel—whether it is a kirana store in a tier-two town, a modern trade hypermarket, or a digital storefront on a marketplace app. The role demands not only strategic clarity but also the ability to mobilise cross-functional teams and partners around a shared agenda.
Her appointment also signals Mondelēz International’s confidence in internal leadership and its commitment to building long-term capabilities in India. As the company continues to invest in digital transformation, advanced analytics, and customer experience, leaders like Vidya play a critical role in translating these investments into tangible business outcomes. Her background in MarTech and CX initiatives positions her well to ensure that technology serves strategy, rather than the other way around.
In an industry where growth is increasingly driven by precision rather than sheer scale, Vidya Kailasam Hangal’s elevation comes at a moment of transition. Indian consumers are demanding greater choice, convenience, and value, while retailers and platforms are seeking partners who can bring insight and innovation to the table. Navigating this landscape requires leaders who can think holistically, act decisively, and remain grounded in consumer realities. Vidya’s career trajectory suggests she embodies these qualities.
As she steps into her new role, the expectations are clear: to drive category-led growth that is sustainable, data-informed, and execution-ready. For Mondelēz International in India, her leadership represents not just a change in title, but a reinforcement of the strategic direction the company is pursuing—one where customer marketing becomes a central lever for growth, and where the future of FMCG is shaped by those who can seamlessly bridge strategy, commerce, and digital innovation.
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