Choithram
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About Us

Since the launch of our first store in the UAE in 1974, Choithrams has worked towards bringing freshness, goodness, and convenience to our customer's everyday lives

Our commitment to quality, our keen support of charitable causes and our dedicated approach towards sustainability have been some of the building blocks to our continued success.

Our GCC Operations

Our conveniently located stores and our unrivaled distribution network have made Choithrams a household name,trusted by millions as a brand of choice.

About Choithrams

Our Leadership

Thakurdas Choithram Pagarani
Founder, Choithrams

A visionary, an entrepreneur and a philanthropist, the story of Thakurdas Choithram Pagarani dates back to 1943, when he opened his first grocery store in Sierra Leone.

Decades later his legacy continues, transforming from a one outlet, one country venture to a global footprint spanning retail, distribution and manufacturing.

Mr. T C Pagarani's culture of giving saw its roots in early 1959 when he founded the first of our many charitable trusts operating schools, clinics, and hospitals, continuing to inspire the company's 'Full of Goodness' philosophy to this day.

Leadership Team

Mark Mortimer Davies
Mark Mortimer Davies Chief Executive Officer
GCC
Chandra Vikram Prahladka
Chandra Vikram Prahladka Chief Financial Officer
GCC
Cherian Thomas
Cherian Thomas General Manager
Qatar
Mahesh Tulsani
Mahesh Tulsani General Manager
Oman
Anil Nawani
Anil Nawani General Manager
Bahrain
Ashutosh Chakradeo
Ashutosh Chakradeo Chief Retail Officer
GCC
Kishore Bhartia
Kishore Bhartia General Manager
Commerce
Arunachalam AP
Arunachalam AP Chief Technology Officer
GCC
Kunal Wadhwani
Kunal Wadhwani Chief Human Resource Officer
GCC
Kapila Karunathilaka
Kapila Karunathilaka Head Supply Chain - GCC
Smitha Vijay
Smitha Vijay Head QHSE
GCC
Satyajeet Bhatt
Satyajeet Bhatt Leasing and Corporate Affairs Manager

Values

Customer Centric

Customer
Centricity

We put the customer at the heart of everything we do

Leadership

Leadership

We lead by example in all that we do within our industry

Integrity

Integrity

We are honest, ethical and treat everyone with trust, dignity, and respect

Meritocaracy

Meritocracy

We reward results and recognize efforts

Boundaryless

Boundaryless

We eliminate barriers, share ideas, and identify the best course for the organization

Quality & Food Safety Assurance

Quality & Food Safety Assurance

A brand you can trust, Choithrams is dedicated to excellence in quality and food safety. Our focus on compliance and strict adherence to HACCP guidelines ensures that we protect the health and well being of our consumers.

Recent Awards

Business Impact Award - WESTFORD AWARDS 2024
Business Impact Award - WESTFORD AWARDS 2024
Appreciation from EMIRATES NATURE-WWF for unwavering commitment and exceptional contributions to environmental conservation throughout the year.
Appreciation from EMIRATES NATURE-WWF for unwavering commitment and exceptional contributions to environmental conservation throughout the year.
The Most Admired Responsible Retailer - 2023
The Most Admired Responsible Retailer - 2023
Dubai Cares
Dubai Cares
Outstanding effort and support in raising food safety awareness in 2020 by Dubai Municipality
Outstanding effort and support in raising food safety awareness in 2020 by Dubai Municipality
Awarded by Emirates Nature – WWF for being part of the Green Giving Initiative
Awarded by Emirates Nature – WWF for being part of the Green Giving Initiative
Contribution to the Dubai Chamber Sustainability Week 2021
Contribution to the Dubai Chamber Sustainability Week 2021
Global Best Employer Brand Award 2019 at 13th Employer Branding Awards
Global Best Employer Brand Award 2019 at 13th Employer Branding Awards
Appreciation from DIFC for providing Iftar Meals during Ramadan
Appreciation from DIFC for providing Iftar Meals during Ramadan
Good hygiene practice by Sharjah Municipality
Good hygiene practice by Sharjah Municipality
For supporting the Health Education and Promotion Department’s programs
For supporting the Health Education and Promotion Department’s programs
Global HR Excellence Awards 2022
Global HR Excellence Awards 2022
Global HR Excellence Awards 2021
Global HR Excellence Awards 2021
UAE's Natural Heritage
UAE's Natural Heritage
Champion of Inclusion Award
Champion of Inclusion Award
Mark Mortimer Davies
Mark Mortimer Davies Chief Executive Officer
GCC

Mark is a dynamic and visionary leader with extensive experience in the FMCG and grocery retail sectors across the Middle East. With a proven track record of driving growth, improving profitability, and leading transformative change, Mark excels in implementing strategies that promote innovation, operational efficiency, and a customer-centric approach.

His expertise spans FMCG, grocery retail, and other key industries such as banking, telecoms, and hospitality, providing him with a unique regional perspective on market dynamics. Known for inspiring high-performance teams and delivering sustainable results, Mark is a strategic communicator and innovative leader. His leadership is defined by a commitment to excellence, positioning organizations for long-term success in the fast-paced and competitive FMCG and grocery retail landscape.

Chandra Vikram Prahladka
Chandra Vikram Prahladka Chief Financial Officer
GCC

An Engineer with a Postgraduate in Finance and over 23 years of working in the financial sector across Asia and GCC, Chandra brings extensive experience and a wealth of expertise to Choithrams as the Chief Financial Officer. With his innovative and proactive mindset, Chandra plays a pivotal role in steering the organization’s financial landscape, optimizing capital management, and ensuring the highest standards of financial governance, leading to sustained and profitable growth.

Cherian Thomas
Cherian Thomas General Manager
Qatar

With a Masters in Business Administration and an extensive career spanning over 25 years in the FMCG sector with global and Indian MNC corporates, Cherian serves as the General Manager in Qatar for NBK Trading and Megamart. In this capacity, he strategically oversees the expansion of sales within the retail and commerce divisions in Qatar. Cherian is deeply involved in devising and executing comprehensive integrated business plans, fostering cross-functional effectiveness, and instilling a culture of performance, speed, and efficiency within the organization. Embracing a Founders mindset, he firmly believes that the strength of an individual is only as formidable as that of their team, embodying his role as a crucial business stakeholder in Qatar.

Mahesh Tulsani
Mahesh Tulsani General Manager
Oman

Having joined the group in 1984, Mahesh has grown through the ranks to lead the country’s operations as General Manager, Oman. Mahesh has played a vital role in developing Leone, the company’s popular in-house tea brand and been instrumental in setting-up the state of art logistics centre in Oman. His commitment and dedication towards business development has helped garner several successful partnerships including the recent acquisition of the brand distribution for Coca Cola in Oman.

Anil Nawani
Anil Nawani General Manager
Bahrain

As General Manager of Bahrain operations, Anil manages the growth of sales and extends his responsibilities to procurement and leasing for the retail and commerce divisions for the company’s Babasons brand. His three decades experience in the retail industry allows him to successfully guide his team towards their combined goal of increasing sales and ensuring a smooth and seamless customer experience across all stores in the country.

Ashutosh Chakradeo
Ashutosh Chakradeo Chief Retail Officer
GCC
A Masters In International Trade and close to 30 years working in procurement, operations and general management roles, Ashutosh is known for his willingness to roll-up his sleeves, when necessary, and lead from the front. He has been instrumental in restructuring the brand’s retail business and initiating the ‘One Choithrams’ approach across the GCC region. Commercially astute, with a strong and intimate focus on the customer, Ashutosh has helped establish Choithrams into a profitable and leading omni-channel retailer.
Kishore Bhartia
Kishore Bhartia General Manager
Commerce

With over two decades of expertise in the Fast-Moving Consumer Goods (FMCG) sector in both local and multinational companies across the GCC, Africa and Asia, Kishore, the General Manager - Commerce at Choithrams has a comprehensive understanding of the industry’s intricacies and global dynamics. Centred on the philosophy of ‘performance with purpose’ Kishore is adept at guiding brands to align business decisions with evolving consumer needs, ensuring strategies drive financial success and contribute positively to society.

Arunachalam AP
Arunachalam AP Chief Technology Officer
GCC
As Chief Technology Officer at Choithrams, Arunachalam is responsible for ERP standardization, streamlining IT processes and driving digital transformation at a time when the role of IT is integral to achieving the company’s strategic priorities. Arunachalam leads the company’s technological vision with continued transformation in the areas of digital/e-commerce, store operations and supply chain in a rapidly changing and highly competitive environment where technology is a differentiator.
Kunal Wadhwani
Kunal Wadhwani Chief Human Resource Officer
GCC
With over two decades of expertise in HR management for large & medium enterprises, Kunal, Chief Human Resource Officer at Choithrams has successfully led retention, engagement & performance within the organisation since 2010. A strategic thinker and thought leader, Kunal’s vision is to attain organizational excellence by developing and inspiring the true potential of the company’s human capital by providing opportunities for growth, wellbeing & enrichment.
Kapila Karunathilaka
Kapila Karunathilaka Head Supply Chain - GCC

An MBA in supply chain and business management and over 30 years of working with MNCs across various sectors including food retail, household, personnel care, automotive and food service, Kapila brings vast knowledge and experience to Choithrams as the Head of Supply Chain. Kapila has spearheaded the initiatives of cost and process optimization through people engagement and development as well as actively led the food safety compliance initiative through cold chain monitoring.

Smitha Vijay
Smitha Vijay Head QHSE
GCC

Head of Quality, Health, Safety and Environment (QHSE) at Choithrams, Smitha’s commitment towards her role is evident from her rich experience and vast educational background. Smitha led the first Choithrams supermarket to be certified in HACCP in 2009 and established a stringent and graded internal food safety audit program since 2010 to spearhead the food safety culture in the organization. An ardent believer of UN Sustainable Development Goals works at making key contributions towards the brand’s GRI (Global Reporting Initiatives) membership.

Satyajeet Bhatt
Satyajeet Bhatt Leasing and Corporate Affairs Manager
Heading the Leasing & Corporate Affairs department at Choithrams, Satyajeet, an experienced player in the commercial real estate domain, has consistently demonstrated his expertise through retail leasing advisory and new retail stores development. Having worked in property markets across the UAE, UK and India, Satyajeet has built a persuasive and inclusive persona that enables him to commandeer his team towards meeting deadlines while maintaining high standards of client servicing.
Ramesh P. Thanwani
Ramesh P. Thanwani
Director
Ramesh P. Thanwani
Lekhraj Thakurdas Pagarani
Chairman
Ramesh P. Thanwani
Kishore Thakurdas Pagarani
Director