Sanjay Khosla: The Strategist Behind Kraft’s Explosive Rise

Sanjay Khosla: The Executive Coach and Business Builder Empowering Today’s Global Leaders

In every era, a few leaders rise above the conventional to rewrite what growth, leadership, and transformation truly mean. Sanjay Khosla, one of the world’s most respected business builders, belongs to this rare league.

Sanjay Khosla: A Career Built on Transformation, Not Titles

Transforming Kraft Foods Into a $16 Billion Powerhouse

When Khosla joined Kraft Foods (now Mondelēz International) in 2007 as President of Developing Markets, the division generated $5 billion. Six years later, under his leadership, that number had exploded to $16 billion, with profitability rising by 50%.

His leadership impact touched every part of the business:

  • Oreo grew from a $200 million brand to a $1 billion global sensation.

  • Tang surged from $500 million to $1 billion, becoming a staple in emerging markets.

  • He helped integrate the $19B Cadbury acquisition and the $7B Danone biscuits acquisition, moves that strengthened Kraft’s global dominance.

  • He led over 65,000 employees across 60+ countries, proving that growth accelerates when people believe in the mission.

Khosla didn’t just scale markets. He rewired how Kraft thought, acted, and innovated.

Turning Around Fonterra’s Consumer Business

Before Kraft, Khosla revitalized Fonterra’s $3 billion consumer division, transforming a stagnant business into a dynamic, consumer-centric engine of growth.

The Unilever Journey: 27 Years of Icons and Innovations

Khosla spent nearly three decades at Unilever across India, Europe, and the UK. Here, he learned—and demonstrated—that bold ideas can redefine markets.

  • He pioneered the campaign “Paint the World Yellow” with Lipton, enabling the brand to leap across countries and cultures.

  • He created Wheel, which became one of India’s largest and most impactful detergent brands.

  • He served on global category boards and joint ventures, influencing strategy on a worldwide scale.

These experiences laid the foundation for the growth philosophy he champions today.

A Leader Who Now Builds Leaders

After shaping some of the world’s biggest brands, Sanjay Khosla shifted his focus to developing people—the true engines of long-term growth.

Executive Coach to Global Leaders

Khosla is a trained and certified executive coach, helping CEOs and leadership teams across industries find clarity, confidence, and direction. His coaching philosophy is rooted in his signature model: The Three Ps — Performance, Pleasure, and Purpose.

He helps leaders:

  • design actionable growth roadmaps

  • channel their energy effectively

  • strengthen key relationships

  • learn how to “show up” with authenticity and impact

For him, leadership is not a title—it is a journey of inner alignment and outward excellence.

Sanjay Khosla: Educator, Speaker, and Advocate for Focused Growth

At Kellogg School of Management, Khosla serves as:

  • Senior Fellow

  • Adjunct Professor

  • Co-Director of the “Delivering Business Growth” program

  • A guiding voice for executives seeking real-world lessons

He teaches not from theory, but from decades of wins, failures, and reinventions.

Khosla is also a respected speaker, having presented at global platforms including world conferences, universities, and corporate forums. His talks inspire people not only to grow—but to grow better.

Author of a Business Classic: Fewer, Bigger, Bolder

His bestselling book, Fewer, Bigger, Bolder, co-authored with Professor Mohanbir Sawhney, distills his “Focus7” framework—a blueprint for sustainable, profitable, and meaningful growth.

Awarded and celebrated globally, the book teaches leaders how to:

  • simplify the noise

  • concentrate on what matters

  • make bold bets

  • build enduring companies

It is not just a strategy book; it is a mindset shift.

A Legacy of Boards, Partnerships, and Global Impact

Khosla currently serves on the boards of:

  • Zoetis Inc.

  • NIIT Ltd.

Previously, he held pivotal roles and board seats at:

  • Best Buy Inc.

  • Del Monte Foods

  • Iconix Brand Group

  • Lipton-Pepsi joint venture

  • Nestlé-Fonterra Dairy Partners Americas

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