Vinita Bali

Managing Director of Britannia Industries Limited.

Vinita Bali was born on 11th Nov. 1955, in Banglore. In 1975, she received a Bachelor's Degree in Economics from Lady Shri Ram College for Women at the University of Delhi. She then earned an MBA from Jamnalal Bajaj Institute of Management Studies. She received a scholarship to Michigan State University in the United States and served as an intern at United Nations Headquarters.

Her first job was at Voltas, where she worked on the launch of the soft drink brand Rasna. She worked for the Indian division of Cadbury for 14 years, expanding the company's markets in India and Africa. In 1994, Coca Cola hired her as its Marketing Director and she was later appointed Vice President of Marketing for Latin America. During her nine years at Coke, Bali also worked as Vice President of Corporate Strategy. She left Coca-Cola in 2003 to work at the Zyman Group. She was Managing Principal and Head of the Business Strategy at the group's Atlanta location.

She left in 2005 to take up the position of CEO at Indian food company Britannia Industries, where she was eventually appointed Managing Director in 2006. In 2009, she founded the Britannia Nutrition Foundation which combats child malnutrition through the distribution of fortified biscuits to Indian schoolchildren.

Britannia Industries Limited

A Wadia Enterprise is an Indian food-products corporation based in Kolkata, India. It sells its Britannia and Tiger brands of biscuit throughout India. Britannia has an estimated market share of 38%.The Company's principal activity is the manufacture and sale of biscuits, bread, rusk, cakes and dairy products. Today, Britannia is a leading food company in India with over Rs. 6000 Crores in revenues, delivering products in over 5 categories through 3.5 million retail outlets to more than half the Indian population. Our core emphasis across portfolios is on healthy, fresh and delicious food and we are the First Zero Trans-fat Company in India. 50% of our product portfolio is enriched with micro-nutrients. Our products are also delivered through the Britannia Nutrition Foundation to combat malnutrition among underprivileged children.

AWARDS

• She won a Corporate Social Responsibility Award for her work with the foundation.
• In 2011, Forbes named her on its list of "Asia's 50 Power Businesswomen".
• Under her direction, Britannia's revenue tripled to $841 million.
• Bali was awarded the "Business Woman of the Year" Award at the 2009 Economic Times Awards.
• She won a Corporate Social Responsibility Award for her work with the foundation.
• In 2011, Forbes named her on its list of "Asia's 50 Power Businesswomen".