Celebrating Amit Kumar Ghatak: A journey of consumer insight and brand building

As Amit Kumar Ghatak, Chief Marketing Officer at House of Khemani, recently celebrated his birthday on September 26, the occasion offers an opportunity to recognise a marketing journey spanning more than two decades across consumer goods and alcoholic beverages.

From building distribution networks at Cello Pens to shaping brands at Marico, CavinKare and Allied Blenders & Distillers, Ghatak’s career reflects an ability to connect consumer understanding with commercial priorities. His experience spans everyday household products, personal care and spirits, bringing together the disciplines of brand positioning, product innovation and market development.

At House of Khemani, which he joined in February 2023, Ghatak has been helping strengthen the group’s branded portfolio across domestic and export markets. His work includes refining the premium positioning of Royal Respect Whisky, building Kamanda Rum’s challenger proposition and refreshing TAG Beer’s identity to engage younger adult consumers.

He is also spearheading the development of an ultra-luxury whisky portfolio, bringing brand creation, consumer experience and business planning into the same conversation. The mandate reflects a broader theme in his career: translating a product proposition into a brand that consumers understand and value.

Before joining House of Khemani, Ghatak served as Head of Dark Spirits at Allied Blenders & Distillers. During his tenure, he worked on the relaunch of Officer’s Choice Whisky, the revitalisation of Officer’s Choice Blue and the development of new offerings across whisky and rum. His responsibilities also extended to improving media planning and buying efficiency, combining creative brand work with operational discipline.

His years at CavinKare gave him experience across a diverse personal care portfolio. Working on brands including Indica, Chik, Nyle, Spinz and Fairever, he focused on product development, sharper communication and evolving consumer needs. Whether introducing new hair colour propositions or refreshing established shampoo brands, the work required balancing familiarity with reasons for consumers to reconsider a brand.

Earlier, at Marico, his work on Parachute Coconut Oil involved packaging, pricing and pack-level strategies designed to strengthen consumer access and market performance. His professional journey began at Cello Pens after his MBA, where sales, distribution and training responsibilities provided a grounding in how brands reach consumers.

Across these roles, Ghatak’s journey illustrates the breadth of modern marketing leadership. Building brands requires imagination, but also an understanding of distribution, pricing, execution and profitability.