Top Vini execs brought in after KKR deal walk out

Vini Cosmetics, the maker of Fogg deodorants and GlamUp creams backed by private equity firm KKR, has seen a flurry of top-level exits in the recent past, even as the company’s founder-chairman Darshan Patel remains unfazed.

- Suneera Tandon & Ranjani Raghavan

According to several people aware of the developments, CEO Vishal Kaul, human resource head Manisha Kadagathur, and chief revenue officer Amar Jethithor have tendered their resignations. Chief marketing officer Sushrut Pant, who joined Vini this March, quit in November and joined Shree Cement as head of marketing, according to his LinkedIn profile. 

Darshan Patel, non-executive chairman of Vini Cosmetics, confirmed the CEO’s exit. “He has put in his papers. We have already started looking for a replacement," said Patel, who founded the company in 2010. “Our business is growing at about 15–18%per annum. We are not downsizing anything." Patel also appeared confident about KKR, saying it continues to be invested in Vini. “They have just entered the business. They will be invested for many years," he said.

Calls made and texts sent to Kaul, Kadagathur, and Jethithor remained unanswered, while Pant could not be reached for comment. KKR, which bought a 54% stake in Vini Cosmetics for $625 million in 2021, did not respond to emailed queries.