GURUGRAM — Pernod Ricard India has announced the elevation of Namita Bharadwaj to the position of Chief Human Resources Officer (CHRO). A seasoned HR leader with over 22 years of experience, Bharadwaj has been a key figure within the company’s leadership for nearly four years.
She succeeds Shrikant Lonikar, taking over the people and culture agenda for the alcobev giant during a period of significant leadership transition.
Career Trajectory & Impact:
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Internal Growth: Before her elevation, Bharadwaj served as the Head of Total Rewards, Performance, Analytics, and Digital Experience at Pernod Ricard India. She joined the firm in early 2022 to spearhead its compensation and talent management strategies.
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Consulting Background: Prior to her corporate role, she spent over 11 years at Mercer Human Resource Consulting as a Principal, where she specialized in executive remuneration, long-term incentive (LTI) structures, and workforce analytics.
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Diverse Sector Expertise: Her professional journey includes leadership stints at Vertex Data Science, People Factor, and Quark, spanning sectors from IT and telecom to global consulting.
The Evolving Leadership Team:
Bharadwaj’s appointment is part of a broader refresh of Pernod Ricard India’s executive suite aimed at driving “premiumization” and digital transformation:
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Jean Touboul: Continues as Managing Director (since May 2023).
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Debasree Dasgupta: Recently took charge as Chief Marketing Officer (February 2026), relocating from her global role at Absolut.
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Prasanna Mohile: Serving as Chief Financial Officer.
With over 1,600 employees and 24 production sites across India, Bharadwaj will be responsible for steering the “Conviviality at Work” culture while managing large-scale organizational development in one of the group’s top three global markets.
