Ram Gopalakrishnan has joined Vadilal Industries as Chief Executive Officer of its international business, Vadilal Industries USA, marking a return to a brand he has known since childhood.
Gopalakrishnan confirmed the appointment on LinkedIn, thanking the Vadilal board and the Accord team for their trust and welcome, while acknowledging the mentors and peers who shaped his career.
“I’m happy to share that I’m starting a new position as Chief Executive Officer at Vadilal International Business! Huge thanks to the Vadilal board and the Accord team for their trust and the warm welcome. I also want to acknowledge the mentors and peers along the way who have guided me. You know who you are,” he said.
Gopalakrishnan also reflected on his personal connection with the brand, recalling Vadilal as a name he knew while growing up in Bombay. He noted the brand’s international growth, particularly among the Indian diaspora, and described the move as bringing his career “full circle”.
“Vadilal is a name I've known since I was a kid growing up in Bombay. Nearly 120 years later, it's one of India's most loved ice cream brands, with a fast-growing footprint internationally, especially within the Indian diaspora. After two decades building brands across P&G, Clorox, and Nestlé in the US, this feels like it has brought me full circle: the kid from Bombay, coming back to help build a global, world-class ice cream brand of Indian origin,” he added.
Before joining Vadilal, Gopalakrishnan was Chief Growth Officer at Ethos Pet Brands. His earlier experience includes building brands across P&G, Clorox and Nestlé in the US.
