Diageo India is among the country’s leading beverage alcohol companies with an outstanding collection of premium brands.
When you are in a career spanning over three decades, like Sanjeev Vijh, Vice President of Corporate Affairs at Diageo India, the power of perspective becomes your north star. The same principle guided his career trajectory, from the tea plantations of his early days to the fast-paced world of public policy today. As an adaptable leader with a strong commitment to creating long-term value, his expertise in managing government stakeholders and key policymakers is especially critical for the alco-bev industry, given its media-dark nature in India.
A Unique Start into Leadership
Born and raised in Delhi, Sanjeev’s professional life began soon after his B.Com Honors from Delhi University. It was a stint far from the urban bustle: in the sprawling tea plantations of Darjeeling for a leading tea producer. For nearly a decade, Sanjeev immersed himself in a general management role, overseeing everything from production to human resources.
He fondly recalls this pre-liberalization era that offered him a role unlike any other - a practical training ground for management, figuratively and literally. “I was exposed to almost everything - handling a crisis almost every week in my 10 years,” Sanjeev shares, detailing how he welcomed each challenge as a means to master crisis management, picking up bits of engineering, botany, management, and agrochemicals along the way. Focused on learning and adapting, this versatile experience defined the way ahead.
From Strategy to Corporate Affairs
The transition back to city life came with roles across diverse sectors, before he joined major players in India’s telecom industry. Over two decades in corporate affairs, Sanjeev led large teams and played a role in expanding operations in challenging regions like J&K and Himachal Pradesh. He later served as Head of External Affairs for an alco-bev company, prior to his move to Diageo.
Striking a Chord with Diageo
Sanjeev's journey with Diageo India spans seven years, shaped by the company’s strong value system. “I was very clear that I will never be comfortable in an environment which would not be something like what Diageo offers,” he asserts. A commitment to strict compliance and a culture of growth drew him to Diageo — a place he says offered him “the room to spread my wings,” and where he now leads multi-year initiatives spanning government relations and public affairs. Sanjeev Vijh describes his career as a journey “from beverage to beverages” - a path that began with tea and expanded into the world of spirits.
Deep Thinking in Action
As the head of public policy for Diageo India, Sanjeev acts as a crucial bridge between the company and the government, both at federal and state levels. Collaborating with teams across supply, marketing, legal, and commercial, his work exists at the intersection of business direction and the policy maker’s intent, creating win-win situations for both. Most of his time goes into strategic planning, taking on challenges, and asking tough questions to chart Diageo's growth plan, guided by a simple philosophy he learned early in his career: “if there is a problem, there must be a solution - you need to think and find it out.”
Unlocking Growth Avenues
One of his standout contributions has been shaping a long-term pricing approach that has consistently delivered strong results over several years. He has also supported key initiatives that strengthen Diageo’s external reputation and contributed to important policy and business priorities, often in collaboration with global teams, including India x UK FTA.
When it comes to navigating public policy in India's alco-bev industry, shaped by a unique, state-by-state regulatory environment, Sanjeev's leadership focuses on improving the ease of doing business, supporting sustainable revenue frameworks for states, and creating long-term value for Diageo. His team continues to engage with a wide network of stakeholders, including economists, academic institutions, and government bodies, to explore more aligned and forward-looking approaches for the sector.
Passion with a Purpose
For Sanjeev, Diageo is a place where strong brands, inclusive culture and leading industry policies create an equally attractive proposition for potential talent, making you realize “you are working for an organization that cares for you.” His first memory of Diageo was as a four-year-old — the iconic striding man from Johnnie Walker Black Label on his uncle’s ashtray still vivid in his mind. Since then, the brand's charisma has drawn him in, and its ethos have kept him rooted. Today, he finds satisfaction in sharing learnings from his own journey and passing them on to emerging talent that will shape the future. It reflects the very spirit Diageo stands for: continuous learning, long-term thinking, and creating impact — for the organization and beyond.