Abanti Sankaranarayanan: Driven By That Spirit For Strategy
Abanti Sankaranarayanan leads the Strategy and Corporate Affairs at Diageo India. As head of Corporate Affairs, she is responsible for shaping and influencing alcohol policy, regulation and the role of alcohol in society, across 32 states and nine Union Territories, in what is recognised as the most regulated and complex beverage alcohol market in the world.
This market is core and strategic to not only Diageo globally, but also the beverage alcohol industry. She also leads strategy development and execution of Diageo’s business in India. Prior to her current role, Sankaranarayanan was Managing Director, Diageo India, leading Diageo’s ambitious business mandate for international spirits in India. Under her leadership, Diageo’s brand portfolio in India delivered strong double-digit growth, high market share gains and robust brand equity enhancement.
Sankaranarayanan also spearheaded the complex, high-profile, organisational integration of businesses between United Spirits and Diageo in India, with minimal business disruption. India is one of the largest markets for spirits globally. Approximately six per cent of the global alcohol beverage growth is driven by India. The Total Beverage Alcohol (TBA) market in India is pegged at Rs 37,835 crore. Of this, western style spirits, also referred to as Indian Made Foreign Liquor (IMFL) and imported foreign liquor, accounts for over 52 per cent of the market.
Going ahead, almost 11 per cent of the global spirits growth is expected to come from India. Sankaranarayanan estimates the company’s market share to be 44 per cent of the market by volume and 38 per cent of it by value in the beverage alcohol industry. In 2016-2017, the company had net sales of Rs 8,547 crore. Premiumisation continues to be a key factor in 2018, driving growth in the industry.
In the industry, the premium and above segment is expected to grow at a CAGR of 14 per cent between 2016 and 2021, whereas the prestige segment is estimated to grow at 12 per cent over the same period, she feels. This will continue to be the trend as a result of a shift in attitudinal change towards alcohol. Consumers are upgrading their preferences, which will result in faster growth for prestige, premium and luxury segments.
