Mars has elevated Shahine D. Ardeshir to people and organisation director for growth and enabling functions across Asia, Middle East and Africa (AMEA), effective May 2026. In her new role, she will lead HR for marketing, digital technologies, finance, corporate affairs and legal, supporting Mars’ growth agenda across diverse AMEA markets.
The elevation follows after nearly five years as people and organisation director for Mars Wrigley in India, where Shahine guided the people’s strategy through business change and cultural transformation. Before that, she spent two years and nine months as associate relations lead for India, Middle East and South Africa, managing industrial and employee relations across four countries. Her ability to navigate complex labour landscapes and align stakeholders during periods of change became a defining trait of her leadership at Mars.
Ardeshir’s Mars journey began in late 2012 when she joined Mars Wrigley Confectionery to build HR for the company’s new chocolate business in India. As talent acquisition manager, she hired across all functions and leadership levels, growing the team fourfold in two years. She then moved into supply HR, leading the start-up of a new chocolate factory from project phase to full operations. A stint as sales HR head followed, partnering with sales, marketing and finance.
Her scope broadened further when she headed the integration and transformation office from 2017 to 2018, overseeing the merger of the Wrigley and Chocolate businesses in India. That experience in post-merger integration and organisational change paved the way for her regional associate relations role and later the country leadership position for Mars Wrigley India.
Before Mars, Shahine Ardeshir spent nearly six years at Whirlpool India, starting as a management trainee in 2007. She rotated through head office HR and plant locations, gaining exposure to corporate and manufacturing HR. By 2008 she was deputy manager supporting the global product organisation in Pune, partnering with R&D teams. From 2010 to 2012, she managed HR for marketing, sales and service in Gurugram.
Ardeshir holds two Master’s degrees from Aston University, UK, in Organisational Psychology and Business, and in Management Research with a focus on leadership development.
We at HRKatha congratulate Shahine Ardeshir on her elevation and wish her all the best!
