Beyond Boundaries: Subroto Ghosh's Journey of Diverse Experience Powers Diageo's Vision

Subroto Ghosh’s journey is one of dynamic adaptability. From a boarding school to IIM Ahmedabad, he built a diverse career spanning finance, supply chain, and sales across various industries. When he joined Diageo India in 2021, his broad experience became his foundation. As he puts it, “I’ve done pretty much everything in supply chain over the years,” a breadth that brings fresh perspectives to the alcobev sector.

Subroto was particularly drawn to Diageo for its people-first culture. “This is a fantastic company to work with, I really love the culture,” he shares, valuing the open communication where he can approach anyone, even the managing director, with ideas and receive full support. This empowering environment enabled him to pioneer initiatives like Diageo India’s first Innovation Roadshow. Beyond internal dynamics, Diageo’s commitment to diversity and sustainability also stands out. “A lot of companies talk about things… Here, it’s taken very seriously,” he explains. He's proud of Diageo setting new benchmarks, such as transitioning packaging to PET bottles with 40% recycled material, significantly reducing their carbon footprint – a key achievement for his procurement team.

Today, as head of critical procurement categories, Subroto sees his role simply: “The organization has a dream, and procurement’s role is to bring that dream to reality.” This involves collaborating on new ingredients, negotiating sustainable materials, and driving efficiencies. He treats suppliers as team extensions, ensuring high standards through responsible sourcing audits, noting, “Many partners work with Diageo not just for the business, but because working with us helps them upgrade their own processes and standards,” which in turn accelerates innovation. Within his own team, he leads with empowerment, guiding but letting them own their work.

Subroto is equally passionate about people development, crediting Diageo’s learning culture for his own growth through global leadership workshops. “The amount of effort and time Diageo puts into employees’ development is substantial,” he observes. He pays this forward by mentoring young talent, aiming to grow leaders internally. “We want to grow our leaders internally,” he states, highlighting how even senior executives are actively involved in nurturing entry-level talent, fostering a truly supportive environment.

Outside work, Subroto maintains balance through running, reading, and prioritizing family time with his twin daughters. This personal well-being fuels his professional drive, which is guided by a mantra of continuous improvement: “Every day I have to learn something new and be better than I was yesterday.” He aspires to a general management role, excited by current projects like digitizing procurement. He advises young professionals to understand the bigger picture – “how your work contributes to the overall business goals” – and to gain hands-on experience. “In the initial years, it’s vital to do the real work yourself – be in the thick of action.” For Subroto, implementing ideas and seeing results at Diageo is profoundly rewarding. His journey exemplifies how a company’s culture, combined with a leader’s passion, brings dreams to life, embodying Diageo’s purpose of “celebrating life, every day, everywhere.”