The new changing vibrant India presents huge opportunity for us: Diageo global HR director

economictimes.indiatimes.com:

Diageo is rolling out multiple initiatives to drive diversity and inclusion in India, says Caroline Rhodes, global HR director — learning and inclusion at the London-headquartered alcohol beverages company. On a recent visit to India, she talked to ET’s Brinda Sarkar about Diageo’s outlook towards inclusion and diversity, employee well-being and how critical India is in the context of global operations. Edited Excerpts:

What are your growth plans for India?
India is such a critical part of our business. We’re at about 1,400-odd corporate employees (in India), and an equal or so number in our manufacturing units across the country. Our product portfolio here is interesting because it’s not just the Diageo products we sell including Johnnie Walker, Tanqueray, Gordon’s, and Baileys, but also a large part of the United Spirits portfolio that we inherited. McDowell’s is the largest selling whiskey in the world, and with Royal Challenge there is the affiliation to the RCB men’s and women’s cricket teams.

India is in the middle of a deep societal change led by rising affluence, women, youth and boom towns. It is also a market that is premiumising. This new changing vibrant India presents a huge opportunity for us. We’re very bullish on building up talent in India — (in) technical innovation and commercialising innovation, public policy and advocacy, digital, as well as bolstering our commercial and supply chain capabilities (that are) very important for the industry we’re in. We’re also investing in a big way in consumer