Innoterra has elevated Avinash Kasinathan to the position of group co-chief executive officer. Till recently, Kasinathan was heading the India business for the Swiss-Indian food and agri-tech platform.
An alumnus of the Indian Institute of Management (IIM), Calcutta, Avinash Krishnakumar Kasinathan served McKinsey & Company as a humble summer associate in the initial years of his professional journey before being absorbed by the company as junior associate, in 2013. Two years into this role, he became an associate, developing market-entry strategies for a key category for a leading e-commerce operator in India. Two years later he was elevated to engagement manager.
October of 2018 saw him taking up the role of executive vice president (business excellence), WayCool Foods & Products. This role put him in charge of business planning, strategic projects, digital business development and process optimisation at the Indian food branding and distribution company, sourcing directly from farmers and supplying to all B2B and B2C channels.
From June 2022 to May 2024, Avinash Kasinathan served as chief executive officer, Censa.
It was in May 2024 that he joined Innoterra as head of India business.
Now, with this elevation, he will work alongside Pascal Foehn, group CEO, Innoterra. Kasinathan’s focus will be on driving the company’s next phase of expansion, with an aim to scale India’s role as a key growth and innovation hub within Innoterra’s global operations. His elevation comes at a time when Innoterra is preparing for a potential public listing within the next three years.
His appointment is part of Innoterra’s forward-looking strategy to strengthen leadership and accelerate partnerships with agri-tech startups, farmer producer organisations (FPOs) and F&B players while boosting investments in digital supply chains and sustainable farming.
According to Pascal Foehn, group CEO, Innoterra, Kasinathan’s “strong track record across agribusiness, digital platforms, and supply chain transformation—as well as his vision, integrity, and deep understanding of our business—makes him the ideal partner to co-lead our next growth phase. His leadership will be pivotal as we build on India’s growing strategic importance in our global roadmap, where we see immense potential for innovation, partnerships, and sustainable growth.”
In his elevated position, Avinash Kasinathan is readying to focus “on cross-leveraging our strengths, accelerating our capital market readiness, while building bold, inclusive growth across circular economies.”
