Rahul Welde: Global business leader making a global impact 

Today is Rahul Welde's birthday and as we celebrate Welde’s birthday we look at the impact he continues to have globally in the various roles and his personal and professional contributions 

Welde is a well-known name in business media advertising and communication. For over 3 decades now, every stakeholder in the advertising , marketing and media ecosystem recognises Rahul across India, Asia Pacific, the UK, the USA and China. 

Rahul made his way to top executive roles in India at a young age, and is now a role model for many senior leaders and executives. 

He is a top global business leader and a very senior executive who has made a truly global impact throughout his career and who is now through his Non-Executive roles across a multitude of industries contributing in building companies and entrepreneurs. 

With a deep expertise in digital transformation and building businesses at scale, Rahul’s expertise and wisdom is being used by large listed entities and startups equally.

Pantheon International, a private equity company, last year appointed Rahul Welde as its Non-Executive Director. The announcement was made on Welde’s LinkedIn stating, “Privileged to join the board of Pantheon International Plc (PIP), an FTSE 250 company as a Non-Executive Director.”

Welde's LinkedIn post further read, “A unique private equity company that boasts of a diversified portfolio of private companies, outperforming the FTSE All-Share and MSCI World Indices since its inception in 1987. PIP is an integral part of Pantheon, one of the world’s foremost private equity investors with assets under management of over $90 Billion.”

Welde is an expert in marketing and brings an experience of over three decades in the global fast-moving consumer goods sector. Rahul spent over 31 years at Unilever heading the digital strategy and execution for the Unilever brands. In the last 3 years, post Unilever, Rahul has been busy as ever in advisory roles and contributing significantly to companies and causes he is involved with. 

Welde’s global experience includes working with India, China and the USA as well as regional roles in the Asia Pacific. He has also been a non-executive board member of Entain.

Rahul had donned a variety of roles with consumer goods corporation Unilever since 1991, most recently leading Unilever’s global digital transformation. The diverse exposure and challenging assignments throughout his career have enabled Rahul to develop a well-rounded perspective across business and operations, with depth in marketing and media, particularly digital.

Previously, as VP Media at Unilever  Rahul was responsible for Asia Pacific, Africa, Middle East, Turkey and Russia working with high-performing teams and agency partners, breaking new ground in marketing communications and media which resulted in several high-profile wins at Cannes and other international festivals. 

Rahul is also engaged in the start-up landscape, as a board member and is advisor to several start-ups. He has also played an active role in industry bodies in the past, including the World Federation of Advertisers (WFA). Driving thought leadership and learning from external developments, he presents at key industry events and is a jury member for several awards. Rahul has been invited as a guest speaker at reputed institutions, including the Harvard Business School and the US Airforce.

Rahul is committed to making a positive social impact, through leveraging his expertise built over the years. He is the Chair of Advisory Board at Migrant Leaders UK and brings his energy and dynamism to migrant leaders for supporting future opportunities for growth so that more young leaders can realise their potential and achieve their career ambitions.

Rahul Welde has also partnered with Vishnu Mohan in accelerating the expansion of Avyan Global.  

He is married to Sonya Madeira Welde and has two sons - Ishan Hoskote Welde and Anish Hoskote Welde - along with a daughter, Lilya Madeira.

Sonya Madeira Welde is a successful communication entrepreneur who sold her PR agency RICE Comms to FINN Partners and has had a successful exit after building a very successful and impactful agency.

In 2023, Rahul Welde was recognised as an outstanding alumni by SIBM Pune for his tall contributions and success.

Even after 34 years of work, Rahul Welde is just getting started and is always in demand for his expertise, wisdom and counsel.