GAURAV BHATNAGAR TAKES THE HELM OF DEVYANI INTERNATIONAL’S INDIA OPERATIONS

Devyani International has appointed Gaurav Bhatnagar as Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer for India, effective 25 May 2026. Bringing more than two decades of retail and consumer-sector experience from Amazon and Unilever, he will oversee operations, supply chain growth and strategic expansion across the company’s fast-growing restaurant business.

India’s quick-service restaurant industry is entering another phase of rapid transformation, and Devyani International has placed a seasoned consumer business executive at the centre of its next growth chapter. The company has announced that Gaurav Bhatnagar will assume the position of Executive Vice President (EVP) and Chief Operating Officer (COO) – India from 25 May 2026, entrusting him with operational leadership across one of the country’s largest restaurant operators.

The appointment signals Devyani International’s intent to sharpen execution as competition intensifies and consumer expectations evolve. Operating some of the country’s most recognisable food and beverage brands, including KFC, Pizza Hut and Costa Coffee, the company is increasingly balancing aggressive expansion with the need for supply-chain resilience, technology integration and consistent customer experiences across markets.

Bhatnagar enters the role with more than twenty years of experience spanning retail, consumer products and large-scale commerce ecosystems. His immediate responsibilities are expected to centre on driving operational excellence, improving supply-chain efficiency and accelerating the company’s expansion strategy across India’s diverse and fast-growing consumer landscape.

His appointment follows more than four years at Amazon India, where he held several significant leadership responsibilities. Serving as Director of the Amazon India Marketplace, he also led major mandates as Sales Head and Business Head for eB2B Distribution, overseeing commercial operations and marketplace growth initiatives.

Before Amazon, Bhatnagar spent seventeen years at Unilever and Hindustan Unilever, a tenure marked by a succession of leadership roles across categories and geographies. From overseeing regional operations in North India to steering customer marketing strategies for personal care and managing global brand responsibilities for Rin, his career reflected a progression through increasingly complex business assignments.

Industry observers increasingly regard executives with experience across technology-led commerce and traditional consumer businesses as critical to the next phase of India’s retail evolution. As food service operators expand beyond metropolitan centres and consumer habits become more digitally driven, leaders capable of combining operational discipline with scalable growth strategies are becoming highly sought after.

Bhatnagar’s track record in technology-enabled distribution systems, market planning and talent development aligns with these changing priorities. Throughout his career, he has repeatedly been tasked with scaling large multi-channel businesses and managing operational complexity at scale.

For Devyani International, the appointment arrives at a moment when the restaurant sector faces both opportunity and pressure. Rising aspirations, changing consumption patterns and expansion into newer markets continue to create growth potential, while efficiency and execution increasingly determine long-term success. With a new operational leader stepping into one of the company’s most influential roles, the focus now turns to how the next phase of growth will be shaped.