MUMBAI: In a splashy move that coincides with the festival of colours, communications veteran Viraj Chouhan has jumped ship from PepsiCo to join the RP-Sanjiv Goenka Group as its group corporate affairs officer. The announcement, dripping with Holi metaphors, marks the end of Chouhan's nearly six-year innings with the fizzy drinks giant.

"Just as Holi symbolises renewal, this opportunity marks a vibrant new chapter," gushed Chouhan in a LinkedIn post.

The alumnus of Nagpur University brings hefty credentials to the table, having previously served as vice president corporate affairs for PepsiCo's APAC region. His CV reads like a who's who of corporate India, with stints as chief communications officer at Ola and executive director of corporate communications at MTS India.
Chouhan cut his communications teeth during a five-year spell at Coca-Cola before switching allegiance to arch-rival PepsiCo. 

The RP-Sanjiv Goenka Group, which Chouhan now represents, boasts an asset base of US $7 billion (approximately Rs 58,000 crore) and revenue of US $4 billion (Rs 33,000 crore). The conglomerate has its fingers in numerous pies, from power and FMCG to retail and IT.

Sports enthusiasts might recognise RPSG as the owner of IPL team Lucknow Super Giants and football club Mohun Bagan—giving Chouhan plenty of metaphorical playing fields for his corporate messaging.