Westlife Foodworld Ltd., formerly Westlife Development Ltd., owner and operator of McDonald’s restaurants in West and South India; has elevated Saurabh Kalra as the Managing Director (MD) of its subsidiary.

Saurabh succeeded Smita Jatia, who has helmed the organisation as it's Managing Director since 2010. She would continue to be an active member of the Westlife board.

Prior to this, Saurabh was the Chief Operating Officer (COO) of the organisation. In this new role, Saurabh will focus on the overall business strategy and growth opportunities, driving the company’s long-term success while continuing to remain deeply involved in day-to-day operations.

In a career spanning over twenty years with Westlife, Saurabh brought growth to the firm over the length of his long association. Having started his career as a management trainee in 2002, Saurabh became one of the youngest restaurant managers.

Over the years, he straddled roles across operations, training, real estate, strategy, and development functions, gradually and successfully transitioning from a restaurant-facing role to a CXO role. Saurabh was instrumental in launching and growing McCafé and the Experience of The Future (EOTF) restaurants in India. He was also an integral part of the team that established the McDonald's brand in South India.

Amit Jatia, Vice Chairman, Westlife Foodworld said, “Over the years, Saurabh has evolved as an incredible leader and a mentor within the organisation. He is a motivated and passionate individual who always seeks to innovate and take on new challenges and we are confident that he will continue to lead Westlife to newer highs with his remarkable vision and strategy."

Commenting on his appointment, Saurabh said, “It is an exciting time for us as we continue to drive our growth agenda and build on the iconic brand's legacy. I am confident that I will leverage my commitment and industry experience to deliver best-in-class performance across business parameters that will enable us to take Westlife Foodworld to even greater heights."