Ajay Vijay Bathija
Vice President, Franchise Operations for Southwest Asia
Ajay Vijay Bathija, the VP of Franchise Operations for Southwest Asia including Bangladesh, Bhutan, Maldives, Nepal and Sri Lanka, has amassed a wealth of expertise in both marketing and franchise operations in his 24 years with The Coca‑Cola system. His journey began in 1999 with the Hindustan Coca‑Cola Beverages Pvt.Ltd. (HCCBPL), where he started as a part of the sales team. Over the years, his astute business acumen and a proven track record of growing businesses which propelled him through various roles and positions within the organization.
In the past couple of years between 2018-2020, he oscillated within the company in various roles, captaining several campaigns - as the Director Marketing for Colas, he also contributed to the ground-breaking "Share a Coke '' campaign and the introduction of Coca‑Cola Zero Sugar in the INSWA markets. Also through his efficient marketing strategies, he played a crucial role in revitalizing the brand ‘Thums Up’ and fostered a greater brand affection.
As the Country Manager for Bangladesh, he collaborated with Bottling Partners to elevate Bangladesh to one of the top 3 markets for Coca‑Cola within The Coca‑Cola System globally. His pioneering "Is Cooking" Coke with meals experience platform, particularly "Kolkata is Cooking," boosted Coca‑Cola TM’s brand love and consumer engagement.
Ajay holds a Masters in Marketing Management from NMIMS, Mumbai and is a Commerce graduate from HR College of Commerce and Economics.