Coca-Cola India announced the appointment of Ajay Vijay Bathija, as Vice President
of Franchise Operations for Southwest Asia (SWA). Ajay’s extensive career journey with The Coca-
Cola Company spans nearly 24 years and encompasses a distinct combination of marketing and
franchise expertise.
In 1999, Ajay embarked on his professional journey with the Hindustan Coca-Cola Beverages Pvt. Ltd.
(HCCBPL) Front Line Sales team and demonstrated consistent growth steadily advancing across
different roles and positions within the organisation. He was the Region Manager for the Mekong
Delta Region at SabCo Vietnam, in 2005. In this pivotal role, he led sales operations and route-to-
market strategies to drive volumes.
He returned to India as Director Marketing for Colas and spearheaded the ground-breaking “Share a
Coke” campaign. He successfully, introduced Coca-Cola Zero sugar for the first time in the INSWA
(India and Southwest Asia) markets. He was also instrumental in rejuvenating ThumsUp through
integrated marketing campaigns, resulting in enhanced brand love.
As the Country Manager for Bangladesh from 2018-2020, Ajay worked closely with the Bottling
Partners to bring Bangladesh amongst the top 3 markets in Coca-Cola TM, within The Coca-Cola
Company (TCCC) globally. In 2020, he transitioned to Senior Director – Front Line Marketing, where
he aligned portfolio strategies, facilitated seamless commercial and marketing execution, and
successfully launched the most celebrated musical franchise of the Company, ‘Coke Studio’ in
Bangladesh. His pioneering “Is Cooking” Coke with meals experience platform, particularly “Kolkata
is Cooking,” boosted Coca-Cola TM’s brand love and consumer engagement.
Commenting on the appointment, Sanket Ray – President, India, and Southwest Asia, said “With
his understanding of business, and growth mindset, Ajay has a proven track record of taking business
to newer heights. We are hopeful that with his astute business acumen and collaborative approach
he will further the organization’s purpose in the Southwest Asia region.”
Ajay has successfully completed his Masters in Marketing Management from NMIMS, Mumbai. He is
a Commerce graduate from HR College of Commerce and Economics.
