India, February 7th, 2025: Orkla India, a subsidiary of Norwegian industrial investment firm Orkla ASA, announces the appointment of Girish Nair as the Chief Executive Officer for the Eastern Business Unit. Eastern is one of the well-known brands in Kerala’s pure spices and masala market.
Based in Kochi, Girish Nair will lead the Eastern business team, focusing on expanding Orkla India’s presence in Kerala and driving strategic growth initiatives for the Eastern brand. With more than three decades of expertise in the food and consumer goods industry, Girish brings a wealth of experience and proven leadership to his new role.
Commenting on the appointment, Mr. Sanjay Sharma, Chief Executive Officer, of Orkla India, stated, “We are excited to welcome Girish Nair to the Orkla India family as the new CEO of Eastern Business Unit. His extensive industry expertise makes him uniquely positioned to guide the Eastern to its next phase of growth and success.”
In his new role, Mr. Girish Kumar Nair said, “Taking the helm at Orkla India for its Eastern Business Unit is both an honor and a responsibility I deeply value. I am eager to work alongside the team to explore new markets and bring innovative products that resonate with our consumers.”
Girish joins Orkla India from Olam Group, where he was part of the leadership team that established the packaged foods business for Olam in West Africa. Girish is an alumnus of IIT Madras and IIM Bangalore. Previously he has worked with organizations such as Wipro Consumer Products, Bacardi, Britannia, and Dabur.
Girish firmly believes in the importance of purpose-driven brands, the strength of collaboration and the transformative impact of passion in building business. His deep understanding of the market and strategic vision will play a pivotal role in shaping Eastern’s future success.
