With the changes to the board at ITC last month, there’s a new triad emerging that’s seen as being groomed to possibly take over from Chairman Y C Deveshwar. Kurush Grant (he was appointed to the board last year) is involved in the incubation and development of ITC’s initiatives in the FMCG business. He can well take credit for the handsome year-on-year growth of the non-tobacco FMCG business, a fledgling in the portfolio.
The decade-old FMCG business — foods, personal care, lifestyle retailing, education & stationery products, matches & incense — has ensured multiple drivers of growth for ITC. One of the few members from the manufacturing background on the board, Grant, joined ITC as the executive vice-president (marketing) of the tobacco division, before being elevated as the divisional chief executive in 1999. In his three-decade tenure at ITC, Grant has handled a wide range of responsibilities including sales, brand management and product development.
Grant has roles outside ITC, too. He is a director on the board of King Maker Marketing, USA, and Surya Nepal, Nepal. He is non-executive chairman of Wimco, a leading Caribbean luxury villa vacation specialist. Grant is also chairman of the Confederation of Indian Industry (eastern region) and vice-chairman of the Indian Society of Advertisers.
He takes immense interest in workshops on tax structure and environmental issues, says a CII executive. “As a member of the marketing committee, Kurush Grant has always played a proactive role in organising the Brand Conclave,” a CII member said.
Unsurprising. Grant is known to fulfil commitments that he undertakes with fervour. Labelled a workaholic by his colleagues, he rarely finds time to pursue his interests — movies and music. Soft-spoken, Grant prefers to blend into the crowd than stand out.
| Corrigendum |
| A couple of errors crept into our BS People item on Kurush Grant ‘Standing out in the crowd’ (BS, Feb 2). Wimco, which is ITC’s matches business, was inadvertently described as a Caribbean luxury villa specialist. Also, Grant joined ITC in the tobacco division’s marketing department and not as executive vice-president (marketing) of the tobacco division. We apologise to Mr Grant for the errors. |
