Rohan Gupta
National Assistant On/Off Trade Manager
Bangalore,KA
Summary
A highly strategic and dynamic professional with over 14 years of year-on-year success in Sales, Trade Marketing, and Commercial Leadership, proven in driving significant growth across premium beverage and FMCG industries. Expert in leading a territory as an independent business unit, with full accountability for P&L, sales strategy development, and maximizing market share. Core competencies include pioneering robust Route-to-Market (RTM) models, optimizing distribution networks, securing profitable key accounts, and directing brand strategy across diverse channels (HoReCa, On-Trade, GT). Demonstrated ability to build, train, and foster high-performing regional teams to consistently deliver ambitious organizational objectives.
Overview
15
15
years of professional experience
Work History
Assistant National On/Off Trade Manager
ITC LTD
03.2023 - Current
- Managed complete commercial performance (P&L) for the national channel, including full ownership of the annual operating plan, sales forecasts, and effective control over all national budgets to maximize ROI and profitability.
- Spearheaded multi-channel Trade Marketing strategy across HoReCa (On-Trade) and Premium Retail (Off-Trade), driving profitable brand visibility and product penetration.
- Led high-impact national consumer experiences and large-scale activations at music festivals, significantly strengthening brand equity and driving consumer trial.
- Developed and implemented specialized merchandising and visibility strategies for premium wine/liquor stores, securing optimal shelf placement and cold-box dominance.
- Managed and optimized all Point-of-Sale Material (POSM) programs, including designing planograms and category management displays for priority retail accounts.
- Maximized Return on Investment (ROI) by conducting rigorous post-activity analysis on promotional spend and delivering profitable trade campaign partnerships with key accounts.
- Provided senior leadership with actionable commercial insights and detailed financial forecasts derived from comprehensive national sales and channel performance analysis.
- Mentored and managed a high-performing national team of regional managers, ensuring consistent execution of sales strategy and fostering a results-oriented culture.
- Designed and executed comprehensive training programs for the national sales force and key customer staff, enhancing product advocacy and driving consistent sales growth.
National Manager
Anheuser-Busch InBev
02.2021 - 04.2022
- Developed and executed comprehensive yearly sales and trade marketing business plans, including new product strategies, to achieve targeted profits, sales turnover, and market share within the On-Trade channel nationally.
- Defined and implemented strategic tools for On-Trade development, including optimizing spaces, promotions, POS materials, and planograms, directly contributing to increased brand visibility and equity.
- Significantly increased the Width of Distribution (WOD) nationally for On-Trade business, actively working towards maximizing product listings in outlets.
- Led On-Trade development through successful new product placement and ongoing business growth, contributing to increased sales revenue and market share for the company.
- Established minimum spend strategies by planning national budgets against volume plans and marketing tie-ups, demonstrating direct input into the utilization and management of sales budgets.
- Managed POSM planning and executed brand-building activities to strengthen brand presence and enhance brand equity.
- Developed and implemented trade marketing plans and route-to-market strategies for new product launches, ensuring effective market penetration.
- Planned and executed promotional activities, conducting regular analysis of sales to measure effectiveness and inform future strategies.
- Monitored competitive activities and market strategies to inform and adapt sales approaches.
- Developed and implemented brand-building training programs for the sales team, fostering expertise and consistent brand representation.
- Managed key national accounts and successfully closed national deals, building strong partnerships and enhancing sales by value and volume.
- Identified top third-party events and strategically partnered for brand building and awareness programs, further supporting brand development.
- Identified and managed relationships with key vendors and oversaw tools allocation to optimize operational efficiency and support sales objectives.
Regional Manager
Red Bull India Pvt. Ltd.
08.2018 - 06.2020
- Designed and executed channel-specific trade marketing strategies across the HoReCa (On-Trade) and Premium Retail (Off-Trade) channels to enhance brand visibility, consumer engagement, and profitable product penetration.
- Spearheaded immersive brand activations and consumer experiences at large-scale music festivals nationwide, strengthening brand equity and driving consumer trial and adoption.
- Developed customized visibility and merchandising strategies for premium wine and liquor stores, focusing on optimal shelf placement, cold-box dominance, and creating high-impact brand zones to influence impulse purchases.
- Implemented POSM programs and visibility initiatives, ensuring premium placement and brand recall across high-traffic outlets, including developing planograms and category management displays for priority retail accounts.
- Partnered with key retail and HoReCa accounts to deliver strategic promotional campaigns, optimizing spend effectiveness and maximizing return on trade investment (ROI).
- Established and tracked key performance indicators (KPIs), conducting rigorous post-activity analysis to measure the Return on Investment (ROI) for promotional activities and consumer experiences, ensuring optimal trade spend effectiveness.
- Provided detailed financial forecasts and reporting on national HoReCa performance to senior leadership, leveraging commercial acumen to convert sales trends into actionable, profitable business insights.
- Led, mentored, and developed a high-performing national team of regional and field sales managers, fostering a culture of accountability and results-orientation to achieve collective organizational objectives.
- Developed and executed comprehensive training programs for the national sales force and key customer staff on product knowledge, brand benefits, and effective selling stories, enhancing trade relationships and driving consistent sales growth.
Musketeer Manager
Red Bull
04.2011 - 08.2017
- Managed territory accounts, optimizing brand visibility and availability at multiple touch points.
- Planned state volumes and large-scale activations, demonstrating a focus on achieving sales and distribution objectives.
- Developed and executed customized activations and events, including state and national events, to enhance consumer experiences and brand engagement.
- Provided salesforce training and optimized route-to-market strategies to ensure efficient distribution and sales.
Education
Bachelor of Science -
HMCTT
06.2011
Skills
Commercial Leadership & P&L Ownership: Proven ability to manage a independent business unit, with full P&L accountability and expertise in converting complex data into actionable sales strategies that drive profitability and market share growth
Key Account Strategy & Multi-Channel Management: Expertise in forging high-value, strategic business partnerships with major state customers and directing profitable growth across all key channels, including HoReCa (On-Trade), Premium Retail (Off-Trade), and General Trade
Route-to-Market (RTM) & Distribution Network Development: Strong understanding and successful execution of end-to-end distribution network management, including designing and implementing Route-to-Market (RTM) models to maximize market penetration and ensure profitable growth for new product launches
Awards & Recognition
Consistently recognised for outstanding achievements in market penetration, sales growth, and brand visibility, including achieving global standard perfect visibility of Red Bull brands across regions., Awarded for 'Rising to the Challenge' (2014) and 'Road to Glory' (2015) for successfully increasing market penetration from 5% to 95% over seven years., Received the 'Impact Award' (2017) and 'Bull Region Award' (2018) for outstanding initiative, innovation, and regional growth, including a 30% growth in the Delhi region in 2019, the highest in five years., Recognised for long-term commitment to the company, serving nine years.
Section name
Rohan Gupta
Timeline
Assistant National On/Off Trade Manager
ITC LTD
03.2023 - Current
National Manager
Anheuser-Busch InBev
02.2021 - 04.2022
Regional Manager
Red Bull India Pvt. Ltd.
08.2018 - 06.2020
Musketeer Manager
Red Bull
04.2011 - 08.2017
Bachelor of Science -
HMCTT