Bacardi appoints Vinay Golikeri as MD of India and neighboring countries

Per capita alcohol consumption in India is low (5.5L) compared to the Asian (6.4L) and global (6.2L) averages.


New Delhi: Bermuda-based liquor firm Bacardi Ltd on Monday announced the appointment of Vinay Golikeri as the Managing Director of India and neighboring countries. Golikeri succeeds Sanjit Randhawa, who, after nearly five years in this position, will move to Dubai as Director, Foreign Affairs, Asia Middle East & Africa and Global Travel Retail for the company.

Goliceri, who assumed the new role in January 2023, will be responsible for key commercial operations across the market for the company's portfolio of premium spirits. In addition to rum, Bacardi has brands such as Gray Goose Vodka, Bombay Sapphire Gin, Dewar Scotch and Martini.


Golikeri will lead the India leadership team and report to Vijay Subramaniam, Regional President, Asia, Middle East & Africa and Global Travel Retail.


Vinay's agility in identifying growth opportunities in diverse environments as we continue to grow the Bacardi portfolio of premium brands … will be essential to achieve our future ambitions,” Subramaniam said in a statement.

Golikeri has been with Bacardi since 2003 and is associated with the Indian market. He started at Bacardi to look after the rum category in India and has moved on to several global roles for the company. He worked in London before taking on a marketing and commercial leadership role at GTR in Hong Kong and later for Asia, the Middle East and Africa.

Most recently, Golikeri was the MD of Global Travel Retail, based in Dubai.

Meanwhile, Randhawa will be responsible for developing and implementing the foreign affairs strategy for AMEA and GTR.

Randhawa has also served as a board member for several organizations including the International Spirits and Wine Association of India (ISWAI) and the Thai Alcohol Beverage Business Association (TABBA). He has been with Bacardi for a very long time.

According to the IWSR (International Wine and Spirits Record), the total alcoholic beverage (Alcobev) volume is expected to grow at a CAGR of 7.6% in 2020-25, as against a decline of 4.4% in 2015-20. Per capita alcohol consumption in India is low (5.5L) compared to the Asian (6.4L) and global (6.2L) averages.