Avon Products has announced the appointment of Nilesh Patel as president, Asia Pacific Region, effective February 3, 2014.

Patel will oversee all of Avon’s Asia Pacific business. In this role, he will be responsible for stabilizing the market, and strengthening and growing the Avon business throughout the region.
He will report to Sheri McCoy, CEO, and will join the company’s Executive Committee.

“As part of our commitment to growing the Avon business, I am pleased to announce that Nilesh Patel is joining us to lead our efforts in the Asia Pacific region,” said McCoy.

McCoy continued, “During his successful career, Nilesh has a strong track record of strategic and operational excellence, which will be critical as we work to rebuild our Asia Pacific business. He knows how to build a brand and bring together a strong team to drive results. Nilesh’s experience, expertise and insights are critical assets as we work to strengthen our position in the Asia Pacific region and globally.”

Patel joins Avon following a 26-year career with the Heinz Company, where he served in various roles. Throughout his tenure, he acquired deep experience across multiple functions from supply chain management to marketing, and built a solid record of success, most notably in emerging Asian markets such as Indonesia and India.

Most recently, Patel served as President, Director and Regional CEO of the Heinz ASEAN Region, where he oversaw business in Indonesia, Malaysia, Singapore, the Philippines, Vietnam and Thailand. The position was an expansion of his role as head of Heinz ABC Business in Indonesia, where he has been credited with turning around the business and more than doubling revenues over a five-year period.