| New Delhi, April 27, 2007: Heinz, the makers of Complan, Glucon-D, Nycil and Heinz Tomato Ketchup, Sauces and Condiments today announced a strategic change in leadership at the top management level. Effective May 1, 2007, Nilesh Patel, Managing Director of Heinz India has been promoted to head Heinz ABC Business in Indonesia. |
| Patel took over the leadership of the India business in 2004. He will continue to remain on the Board of Heinz India and has long term plans to remain in the Asia region. He leaves Heinz India in a much stronger position than when he took over three years ago. |
| N Thiruambalam, who was Head of Marketing and part of Nilesh's management team in India, will return after a 14-month assignment in Singapore as Chief Growth Officer, to head the Heinz India business. |
| "I am looking forward to taking charge of the Indonesian business, which is our largest business with a turnover of close to US$250mn in the Asia region. We have achieved the objectives I had set out for the India business. We have established a new strong and talented management team, which is now very consumer focused and we have strengthened our relationships with our customers and all other stakeholders," Mr. Patel said. |
| "All the brands in Heinz's current portfolio in India, including Complan, Glucon-D, Heinz and Nycil, are growing at double digit rate. The new team has also developed a pipeline of new products and ideas to build future growth," he added. |
| Under his leadership, Heinz India developed a clear business strategy to accelerate growth in its base business and developed a more focused communication strategy to win with consumers. Over the last three years Heinz has introduced several new products, including a special range of Home Style Sauces like Chatpatta Chutney Taste and Chatakdar Coriander Mint Taste to cater to the Indian palate. |
| Patel, a 20-year veteran of Heinz started his career in the UK and has worked across functions and markets in Europe, Africa, Middle East and Asia. In 1997, Patel moved to Heinz India to bring the company's flagship product, Heinz Tomato Ketchup to India, before returning to the seafood business in Europe in 2000. He believes India's food industry is still in its infancy and is passionate about the opportunity for Heinz in India. |
| Prior to his appointment as Managing Director of Heinz India in May 2004, Nilesh was based in the Asia-Pacific regional headquarters of the company in Singapore, responsible for Supply Chain and Development of Food Service business in the region covering Singapore, Hong Kong, Indonesia, China, Thailand, Philippines, Korea and Japan. |
| Says Patel, "It is always sad to leave behind friends and a great performing business with such a talented team but I am looking forward to new challenges and opportunities in Indonesia, which along with China and India is also one of Asia's fastest growing markets" |
| About Heinz: Heinz has a history of over 130 years of offering good food every day by providing taste, nutrition and convenience to millions of satisfied consumers in over 200 countries with over 4,000 different food products. In India, Heinz offers Complan, a complete planned food; Glucon-D, a daily energy drink; Nycil, a widely trusted and leading brand of prickly heat powder; Sampriti pure desi ghee, Heinz Sauces & Condiments and Heinz Tomato Ketchup, the world's favourite ketchup. Heinz is committed to providing good food every day to all its consumers around the world through superior taste, nutrition and convenience with its range of new varieties and innovative products. |
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