Devyani International has pressed the reset button on its top deck, naming long-time finance chief Manish Dawar as President and Chief Executive Officer, as the quick service restaurant (QSR) major gears up for its biggest transformation yet.
Dawar, currently CFO and Whole-time Director, will take charge as President & CEO from April 1, succeeding Virag Joshi, who will step down from executive duties but continue on the board as a Non-Executive Director and strategic advisor.
The leadership reshuffle comes at a pivotal moment for Devyani, which operates marquee global brands such as KFC, Pizza Hut and Costa Coffee in India, and is in the midst of executing a proposed merger with rival Sapphire Foods — a move that would reshape India’s QSR landscape by creating one of the country’s largest restaurant platforms.
With over three decades of leadership experience, Dawar brings a rare mix of financial muscle and operating depth. Before joining Devyani, he held senior roles at Vodafone India, Vedanta, Reckitt Benckiser and Reebok, and began his career at Hindustan Unilever.
At Devyani, Dawar has been a key architect of the company’s growth story, playing a central role in its successful IPO, the acquisition of the Thailand business, and the turnaround of Sky Gate Hospitality, which houses popular brands such as Biryani By Kilo and Goila Butter Chicken. More recently, he has been closely involved in steering the proposed Sapphire Foods merger, which is awaiting regulatory and shareholder approvals.
Once consummated, Dawar will continue to lead the merged Devyani–Sapphire entity as President & CEO, the company said.
Outgoing chief Virag Joshi, who has spent over two decades at Devyani, will remain closely associated with the company in a non-executive role, ensuring continuity as the group transitions into its next phase of growth.
Alongside the CEO transition, Devyani also announced a strengthening of its leadership bench. Anupam Kumar, currently EVP–Finance, will take over as Chief Financial Officer, bringing with him over two decades of experience, including stints at Vedanta and Walker Chandiok & Co, before joining RJ Corp.
The company also appointed Neeraj Tiwari as Chief Technology Officer, underlining its push towards a digital-first, consumer-led QSR model. Tiwari previously led digital technology at Americana Group, one of the largest restaurant operators in the Gulf region, and has earlier worked with Zee Entertainment and Jubilant FoodWorks.
Dawar, currently CFO and Whole-time Director, will take charge as President & CEO from April 1, succeeding Virag Joshi, who will step down from executive duties but continue on the board as a Non-Executive Director and strategic advisor.
The leadership reshuffle comes at a pivotal moment for Devyani, which operates marquee global brands such as KFC, Pizza Hut and Costa Coffee in India, and is in the midst of executing a proposed merger with rival Sapphire Foods — a move that would reshape India’s QSR landscape by creating one of the country’s largest restaurant platforms.
With over three decades of leadership experience, Dawar brings a rare mix of financial muscle and operating depth. Before joining Devyani, he held senior roles at Vodafone India, Vedanta, Reckitt Benckiser and Reebok, and began his career at Hindustan Unilever.
At Devyani, Dawar has been a key architect of the company’s growth story, playing a central role in its successful IPO, the acquisition of the Thailand business, and the turnaround of Sky Gate Hospitality, which houses popular brands such as Biryani By Kilo and Goila Butter Chicken. More recently, he has been closely involved in steering the proposed Sapphire Foods merger, which is awaiting regulatory and shareholder approvals.
Once consummated, Dawar will continue to lead the merged Devyani–Sapphire entity as President & CEO, the company said.
Outgoing chief Virag Joshi, who has spent over two decades at Devyani, will remain closely associated with the company in a non-executive role, ensuring continuity as the group transitions into its next phase of growth.
Alongside the CEO transition, Devyani also announced a strengthening of its leadership bench. Anupam Kumar, currently EVP–Finance, will take over as Chief Financial Officer, bringing with him over two decades of experience, including stints at Vedanta and Walker Chandiok & Co, before joining RJ Corp.
The company also appointed Neeraj Tiwari as Chief Technology Officer, underlining its push towards a digital-first, consumer-led QSR model. Tiwari previously led digital technology at Americana Group, one of the largest restaurant operators in the Gulf region, and has earlier worked with Zee Entertainment and Jubilant FoodWorks.
