MUMBAI : Beam Inc. (NYSE: BEAM) today announced that Vidyut Arte, a veteran consumer goods leader with decades of experience in India and across Asia, will join the company as Managing Director of Beam India.  Arte, 51, joins Beam from Mondelez International, where he is currently Managing Director, Multi Category and Gum & Candy, South East Asia.  Over a 20-year career at Cadbury, now part of Mondelez, Arte served in roles of increasing responsibility, including leading sales and marketing for Cadbury India, leading the company’s business in China, and most recently, serving as Managing Director, Thailand, responsible for the combined Kraft and Cadbury business.  Arte’s appointment is effective December 2nd.

“We are very excited that Vidyut is joining Beam to lead our India business, including our market-leading Teacher’s Scotch brand, into its next stage of growth,” said Arthur Aroney, Managing Director for Emerging Markets in Beam’s Asia Pacific/South America segment.  “Vidyut is a proven brand-builder, growth driver and inspirational leader.  His management, sales and marketing experience in India and across Asia will be incredibly valuable as he and our team execute our profitable growth strategy with the utmost passion, integrity and skill.”

Arte succeeds Aroney, who has been managing the India business on an interim basis.  Arte is a graduate of Visvesvaraya National Institute of Technology in Nagpur, India, and earned his MBA at Jamnalal Bajaj Institute of Management Studies in Mumbai.  Arte and his family intend to relocate back to India from Thailand, where he is currently based.