At the Print Summit 2025, organized by the Bombay Master Printers’ Association, Anand Kripalu, managing director of EPL, delivered an insightful speech — highlighting lessons from his remarkable leadership journey, blending personal anecdotes and industry experiences. Recognizing his recent entry into the packaging sector, Kripalu chose to focus on practical learnings from his career, emphasizing the enduring power of storytelling over abstract theories.
Citing Steve Jobs’ iconic Stanford commencement speech, Kripalu underscored the value of “connecting the dots” in retrospect to understand one’s career path. Drawing from his leadership roles at Unilever, Cadbury, Diageo, and EPL, he shared transformative moments that shaped his approach to management.
As managing director of Unilever East Africa, Kripalu faced the daunting task of reviving a business that had stagnated for a decade. He encountered a team crippled by a victim mentality, attributing failures to external factors such as the economy and competition. To address this, Kripalu immersed himself in the region, traveling extensively to connect with employees and consumers. By introducing a strategic focus on power brands, launching low-unit price packs, and restructuring costs, the business achieved double-digit growth, sustaining its success long after his tenure ended.
Returning to India in 2005 to lead Cadbury, Kripalu encountered a business recovering from the infamous 2003-2004 infestation crisis. He recounted how enhanced packaging and Amitabh Bachchan’s endorsement restored consumer confidence. Despite resistance, he set an ambitious target of 20% annual growth until 2010, halving SKUs and innovations to focus on high-impact initiatives. This approach yielded transformative growth, with the launch of Cadbury Dairy Milk Silk as a notable milestone.
Kripalu later took on the challenge of integrating United Spirits (USL) into Diageo following its acquisition. He described the opportunity as transformative, despite the industry’s challenges. His leadership focused on brand consolidation, sharper advertising, and injecting innovation into a stagnant market. He reduced operational inefficiencies, halving the number of factories from 94 to 47, and championed ethical marketing by eliminating misleading product claims, such as McDowell’s Diet Whisky.
Under his leadership, Diageo made significant strides in gender diversity, achieving a leadership team composed of more than 50% women. Reflecting on his tenure, Kripalu remarked that his work was akin to “constructing the runway and repairing the engine so the plane could take off.”
At EPL, Kripalu faced a different kind of challenge when he joined in 2021 amid a post-Covid crisis. Confronting commodity shortages, supply chain disruptions, and soaring energy costs, he prioritized cost control and customer satisfaction. Setting a bold vision to make EPL the world’s most sustainable packaging company, he embraced the responsibility of operating in a sector often criticized for its environmental impact.
Today, EPL employs over 5,300 people across 80 countries and produces eight billion tubes annually. Kripalu expressed pride in the company’s global recovery and growth, rooted in sustainability and innovation.
Kripalu concluded his speech with a call to action: to embrace challenges, innovate boldly, and inspire teams to unlock their full potential. His address left the audience with a powerful reminder of the transformative impact of clear vision and determined leadership.
