AkzoNobel appoints Rajiv Rajgopal as decorative paints South Asia head

The company has also appointed Rohit Totla as sales and marketing director and designated India as the regional headquarters for South Asia, January 1, 2024 onwards

AkzoNobel, renowned for Dulux paints, has announced significant changes in the organisational structure of its paints business in South Asia, designating India as the regional headquarters. The company has also appointed Rajiv Rajgopal as business unit director and Rohit Totla as sales and marketing director, January 1, 2024 onwards. The company made the announcement through an exchange filing on Tuesday.

AkzoNobel has formed its new South Asia region as a step towards accelerating the company's growth and enhancing its market in the region. For this, India will act as the region's headquarters, where the company has held a presence for nearly 69 years. This strategic placement should also help the firm better cater to the "unique needs of its valued decorative paint customers in this region", the filing read.

Among the new appointments, Rajiv Rajgopal will be the new business unit director for decorative paints in the South Asia region. He will concurrently continue his role as the chairman and managing director of Akzo Nobel India Ltd. Rajgopal has been with AkzoNobel since 2013, has held various leadership roles, including regional director for performance coatings for West Asia & Africa. With a career spanning diverse industries, including a stint as CEO - Broadband & Data at Airtel India, Rajgopal brings extensive experience in sales, marketing, and leadership roles. His educational background includes a Chemical Engineering degree from the University of Mumbai and an MMS in Marketing from SP Jain.

Rohit G Totla will be taking the position of sales and marketing director for AkzoNobel's decorative paints business in India. His new role follows his recent appointment as a wholetime director on the board of directors of Akzo Nobel India Ltd. Totla, who joined AkzoNobel in 2009, previously served as the commercial excellence director for decorative paints in the South-East South Asia region. With over two decades of professional experience, assumes the role of Sales and Marketing Director for AkzoNobel's decorative paints business in India. With degrees in BE (Electronics) and PGDBM, Totla has also held positions in organisations like Balsara Home Products (now Dabur India Limited) and Hindustan Coca-Cola Beverages.