Avon appoints new Chief Supply Chain Officer to drive up service and efficiencies

Avon today announced that Vikram Agarwal has been named Senior Vice President & Chief Supply Chain Officer, effective 1 February 2019, reporting to Jan Zijderveld, Chief Executive Officer and sitting on the Executive Committee. He succeeds Michael Watson, who has decided to step down to pursue other professional opportunities. The company also announced that Susan Ormiston, SVP Human Resources will be leaving in January, 2019 for a new opportunity outside Avon. 

Vikram joins Avon following a 30-year career in operations and supply chain at Unilever. Most recently, Vikram served as EVP, Supply Chain Africa, where he was responsible for a multi-billion dollar regional business, including end-to-end supply chain across 15 countries, 14 factories and 25,000 employees, significantly increasing orders serviced, while leading a program to double the number of customer outlets served, including deploying digital solutions. Prior to this role, he served as Group Vice President, Global Home Care Supply Chain, a role in which he was responsible for direct business planning with country and regional leadership and succeeded in helping to improve operating margins and cash flow during a period of significant growth.

“We are delighted to welcome Vikram to the Avon team and look forward to the expertise and insights he brings from having overseen large, complex supply chains of consumer goods organisations,” said Jan. “Our supply chain transformation and operating with flexibility to best meet Her needs is central to our efforts to ‘Open Up’ Avon. I’m confident that Vikram’s experience in emerging and fast-changing markets as well as in transformational agendas make him well suited to lead a revitalised supply chain team in continuing to drive improvements in service quality and Representative satisfaction and well as ensuring that our global operational structure is operating as efficiently and effectively as possible.” 

“I am excited to join a great company like Avon, and the Avon team.  I am confident that there are significant opportunities to serve our Representatives, enhance performance, capture efficiencies, and continue to develop a supply chain organisation that will best support Avon’s growth into the future,” said Vikram. “I look forward to working with the senior leadership team, and the global supply chain group, to drive operational excellence and advance Avon’s transformation.”

Jan added, “This is an exciting time for Avon as we move forward with our Open Up strategy and execute this company’s turnaround.  Susan has been a valued member of our senior management team for 9 years and while we are saddened by her departure, we wish her all the successes in her future endeavor and know that she has built a strong and capable team here at Avon.”