Harit Nagpal to join Tata Sky as managing director

Nagpal takes over from Vikram Kaushik, who is set to retire by the end of the year

Harit Nagpal, currently the group marketing director, Vodafone plc, is all set to step into the shoes of Vikram Kaushik, managing director, Tata Sky, who would retire on December 31, 2010. Nagpal, who will take over from Kaushik in August, brings with him 25 years' experience, of which nine have been with Vodafone.

Nagpal, till recently, was based in the UK as group marketing director at the telecommunications giant - a role he assumed just five months ago, in February 2010. Prior to that, Nagpal was marketing director at Vodafone Essar in India. He joined the company in September 2001.

Harit Nagpal to join Tata Sky as managing director

In his early days, Nagpal worked with Lakmé in sales and exports, which he joined in 1985 and left after six years. Following that, he joined Marico in the sales department, where he spent another four years. An offer from soft drinks major, Pepsi beckoned, and Nagpal worked in its franchise and marketing department for close to five years. He switched over to managing operations at Shoppers Stop in 1999, where he spent around two years, before joining Vodafone.

Kaushik, on the other hand, has led Tata Sky to emerge as a strong DTH brand since its inception in 2004. He brings with him over 30 years of experience in consumer sales and marketing.

Kaushik began his career with FMCG giant, Unilever. Over the course of his 16 years with the Unilever Group, he was responsible for the growth of some brands in India, such as Lux and Fair & Lovely. He worked on several product categories, ranging from personal care to foods. He also had extensive exposure to business operations in Asia, Europe and the US.

After a brief stint in advertising as the managing director of an ad agency, Kaushik moved on to Britannia as vice-president, marketing and exports. He played a key role in revamping brand Britannia and its portfolio of products.

Next, Kaushik joined Colgate-Palmolive India as marketing director and joined the board of the company as a full-time director. He lent a hand in reviving the fortunes of brand Colgate in India. Subsequently, he moved to head Tata Sky in 2004.

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