Ankit Desai has joined Mondelez International as Senior Director of Marketing, marking the end of a nearly seven-year tenure with The Hershey Company.
At Mondelez, Desai will take on a critical mandate, leading marketing and P&L for the company’s $1 billion-plus India chocolates and tablets business. His portfolio includes some of the country’s most iconic brands such as Cadbury Dairy Milk, Cadbury Silk, Bournville, Crispello, and Nutties, brands that continue to dominate India’s chocolate consumption landscape.
Desai brings with him extensive cross-market experience and a strong track record in building and scaling confectionery and food brands across geographies. During his time at Hershey, he held multiple leadership roles across India and the Asia-Pacific region. Most recently, he served as General Manager for APAC, overseeing markets including China, Australia, and New Zealand from Singapore.
Prior to this, he led South Asia as General Manager and also served as Chief Marketing Officer for Hershey India between 2021 and 2024, where he was instrumental in strengthening the company’s brand portfolio and driving growth in key categories such as chocolates, spreads, syrups, and cocoa-based products. His earlier roles at Hershey include AVP Marketing and Category Head, where he was closely involved in product innovation and global strategy through the company’s Global Innovations Council.
Before joining Hershey in 2017, Desai built a strong foundation in marketing and sales across leading FMCG companies. At Kellogg Company, he worked on the muesli and hot cereals portfolio, contributing to category development and brand positioning in India. His earlier stint at Perfetti Van Melle saw him rise through roles in sales, trade marketing, and brand management, giving him a deep understanding of both frontline execution and strategic brand building.
