Board of Directors

Ajit Vaze founded AFFPL in 2007 and has been CEO and MD since. He started his career as a perfumer at S.H.Kelkar and Company Limited in 1989. He has over 40 yearsof experience in the industry and has played a pivotal role in developing India's fragrance and flavour industry. As a Master Perfumer, he holds several wins in leading brands. He served as the youngest ever President of FAFAI from 2007 to 2009. He holds a Master of Science in Chemistry from the Indian Institute of Technology, Bombay.

Anuradha Vaze is the founder and promoter of AFFPL. She represents the interest of the promoter family on the board and maintains the balance between ownership and management. She holds a Master of Arts in Economics from Mumbai University and a Diploma in Business French from Alliance Française de Bombay.

Ajit Deshmukh founded Wizarth with a shared dream of creating a full-service investment bank focused on cross-border transactions. He currently serves as the director of Equirus Capital in Mumbai. He has over a decade of industry experience in numerous functional areas, including international management, finance, business development and technology. Before starting Wizarth, he was employed at Citigroup and later became an IT consultant, during which time he worked on projects for the US Defence Department. He holds a post-graduate diploma in Computer Science from the National Center for Software Technology in Mumbai.

Holger Hauenschild has been active in the flavour industry for over 35 years. After working as a senior flavorist at several leading international companies, he joined Firmenich and was eventually appointed Head of Global Flavour Creation. In this role, he masterminded global flavour strategy at Firmenich until his retirement in 2013. He joined the AARAV board of directors in 2013 as an advisor on flavour business development and strategy. He is a German national and holds a degree in food chemistry and distilling technology.

Shailesh Deshmukh has over 28 years of experience in the flavour and fragrance industry. During this time, he has excelled in operations, setting up many chemical plants and engineering works. His emphasis on project controls has produced effective financial and safety metrics results. He joined AARAV in 2014 and heads both operations and the ingredients division. He holds a graduation degree in Chemical Engineering and Masters in Management Studies from Mumbai University.

Chetana Gargava holds over 30+ years of experience in HR, Growth and Change Management. She has worked with CEOs and leadership teams, supporting them in their performance aspirations and building their culture and capabilities. Her work relies heavily on data, sharp insights, and a strong understanding of business that she uses to co-create winning strategies. An IIT Kharagpur graduate has worked for renowned organizations like Godrej, Marico, J&J and Novartis. Chetana worked as a consultant to help with consulting, mentoring and coaching in Strategic HR and Organisation Transformation. She was onboarded as a board member in 2021.