New Delhi, Sept. 30 -- Verlinvest, the Belgian consumer-focused investment firm with over €2 billion in assets under management, said Tuesday it has appointed Ashish Lingamneni as an operating partner to strengthen its leadership team in India.
The appointment is in line with Verlinvest's strategic plan to double its annual investment volume in the Indian market, the firm said in a statement.
Lingamneni will succeed current operating partner Nishad Kenkre, who will take up a full-time role as Chief Business Officer at Heads Up for Tails, a Verlinvest portfolio company.
Lingamneni brings over 15 years of leadership experience across consumer platforms, marketing, product, and customer growth. He was previously associated with Swiggy as a vice president and led large teams across media, social, creative, content, new product marketing, sustainability, and corporate communications for about six years. Prior to this, he was associate director of marketing at Ola, driving brand and consumer marketing initiatives for the mobility platform. Earlier in his career, he held leadership roles in marketing and brand management at Johnson & Johnson and other FMCG and consulting companies.
"Verlinvest has built a strong track record partnering with founders who are building and scaling category-defining consumer businesses globally. As we continue to double down on the India market and ramp up our partnerships with our founders in India, Ashish's experience and insights will be an invaluable asset to the growth of our portfolio companies," said Arjun Anand, managing director and Asia head at Verlinvest.
Anand had previously told VCCircle in an interview that the firm intended to double its annual deployment in India to €200 million over the next two-three years.
"India's investing landscape is rapidly evolving at present and presenting a wealth of exciting new opportunities to explore for emerging brands and entrepreneurs. I look forward to working closely with founders and leadership teams to tap these upcoming opportunities and build lasting brands that can thrive in the modern Indian consumer market," Lingamneni said.
Founded in 1995, Verlinvest now has offices in Brussels, London, New York, Singapore, and Mumbai. Verlinvest invests across FMCG, health, consumer technology, and lifestyle sectors through three strategies: platform, growth, and venture stage through its VC arm V3 Ventures.
In India, Verlinvest has been investing in Indian brands since 2010. Some of the Indian companies that it has backed include mattress and furniture brand Wakefit, coffee chain Blue Tokai, yogurt brand Epigamia, beverage firm Lahori Zeera, spreads and dressing company Veeba, beauty and personal care firm Purplle, IVF clinic chain Ferty9, and Sula Wines.
Published by HT Digital Content Services with permission from VC Circle.