Bacardi India appoints Monojit Mukherjee as director of external affairs for India and neighboring countries

Bacardi India, a privately held spirits company, has appointed Monojit Mukherjee as director of external affairs for India and neighboring countries. With an illustrious career spanning 25 years, Monojit brings a wealth of experience in navigating regulatory landscapes and fostering strategic partnerships across central and state governments and industry bodies.

In his latest role at Bacardi, Monojit will spearhead Bacardi’s external affairs strategy, leading engagement with local, state governments and central government to create responsible, consumer-centric, government initiatives, while ensuring full compliance and a commitment to always doing the right thing. Monojit is a highly networked leader, with a strong compliance understanding of the regulatory regime at both central and state levels, as well as working with alcohol associations such as ISWAI, SWA, DISCUS, Spirits Europe and more.

His journey at Bacardi follows his impactful tenure as chief corporate affairs officer at United Breweries (Heineken India), where he drove business continuity, regulatory challenges, enabled price increases across several states and responsible consumption initiatives. He also spearheaded ease-of-doing-business initiatives in coordination with several key central government ministries including, Department for Promotion of Industry & Internal Trade (DPIIT) Invest India & Confederation of Indian Industry (CII). Prior to this, Monojit Mukherjee served as the general manager – external affairs at Pernod Ricard India, where he played a key role in driving the company's growth while ensuring compliance with regulatory standards. Previously, he held strategic roles at JSW Steel Limited and GMR Group, contributing to major infrastructure projects like Delhi and Hyderabad International Airports in the country.

Joining India’s leadership team from the company’s Gurgaon office, Monojit will report directly to Vinay Golikeri, managing director, Bacardi India & Neighboring Countries, who said, “We are pleased to welcome Monojit Mukherjee to the Bacardi leadership team. His extensive experience and understanding of the regulatory landscape will be invaluable to us as we navigate the evolving market dynamics of India and neighboring countries. We look forward to his leadership in driving our external affairs strategy and fostering a regulatory environment that is beneficial for our consumers, our industry, and our business."

Speaking about his new role, Monojit Mukherjee said, “I am thrilled to join Bacardi’s accomplished leadership team as we embark on a journey of historic growth. I look forward to collaborating with our talented team and industry stakeholders to drive impactful initiatives that guide us towards continued success in the spirits industry.”

Monojit’s appointment marks a pivotal move, providing a voice for Bacardi India within key industry, government, and regulatory decision-making bodies.