British American Tobacco Bangladesh - Kakhaber Benidze
Mr. Kakhaber Benidze joined BAT Bangladesh as the Managing Director on 1st May 2026. A multinational FMCG professional with over 25 years of professional experience, including more than 15 years in senior general management positions at board level, Mr. Benidze brings a proven track record of driving sustainable growth and profitability across diverse and complex markets spanning Europe, the Middle East, and the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS) region.
Mr. Benidze holds an Executive MBA from the Center for Enterprise Restructuring and Management Assistance (CERMA), a Masters’ degree in Jurisprudence (Criminal Law) from Tbilisi State University, and a degree in Architecture (Landscape Architecture) from the Georgian State Institute of Agricultural Economy.
Mr. Benidze began his career with BAT in 2001 and has held senior roles across Marketing, Supply Chain, and General Management in a wide range of geographies. His early responsibilities included serving as Supply Chain Manager for the Caucasus region, followed by his appointment as Business Development Manager for the Middle East and Caucasus. He subsequently took on the role of Area Head of Strategy Planning and Insights for Central Asia, before being elevated to Sales and Marketing Director for the Caucasus region.
In 2012, he was appointed Country Manager for Azerbaijan, where he strengthened market presence and built organizational capability. The following year, he assumed the broader role of General Manager for the Caucasus and Moldova - a position he held from 2013 to 2017 - during which, he expanded the company's scope of operations and delivered sustainable growth across the region.
From 2017 to 2020, Mr. Benidze served as General Manager for the Middle East, where he drove a successful turnaround and strengthened external engagement across a portfolio of complex markets. In 2020, he was appointed General Manager for Ukraine, during which he redefined the product portfolio and transformed the company's route to market. Prior to his appointment in BAT Bangladesh, he was serving as the General Manager for Switzerland and Austria, delivering strong commercial performance and organizational effectiveness with full P&L accountability.
Mr. Benidze has also been appointed to the Board of Directors of BAT Bangladesh, effective 1 May 2026.
Throughout his career, he has been widely recognized for his decisive leadership, strategic clarity, and ability to align global priorities with local execution while leading multicultural teams across diverse operating environments.