Goldee Patnaik takes charge as Head of PR at OPPO India

After an eight-year journey with itel, Goldee Patnaik has joined OPPO India as head of PR, marking a new chapter in his career. At itel Mobile, Patnaik served as vice president and head of marketing & communications for India, overseeing the mobile, smart gadgets, and home appliances businesses.

Reflecting on his time at itel, Patnaik shared in a LinkedIn post, “After 8 amazing years with itel Mobile India, it’s time for me to say goodbye — and it’s definitely not easy when you are loved by over 11 crore customers and also market leader in your segment, ahead of established brands.”

Patnaik’s career spans over 20 years in marketing and communications, with leadership roles across major telecom and consumer brands.

Before itel, he was general manager – corporate communications at Telenor India, where he spearheaded PR and media engagement across six operational circles, built reputation-led campaigns, and supported group-level initiatives in India. He also played a pivotal role in driving the brand transition from Uninor to Telenor, ensuring visibility, consistent media coverage, and improved brand scores in key markets.

Earlier, he worked with Reliance Communications as head – marketing communications in Odisha, where he led high-impact PR campaigns, oversaw brand transitions, and introduced the company’s first e-journal for internal communications.

At Bharti Airtel, Patnaik was part of the core team that launched Airtel in Odisha and later contributed to brand rollouts in Bihar, Jharkhand, and the North-East. He handled PR, internal communications, ATL & BTL activities, and CSR initiatives.