Munnar, May 20 : The Board of Directors of Kanan Devan Hills Plantations Company Private Limited (KDHP), South India’s largest tea plantation company and an associate company of Tata Consumer Products Limited, has appointed Mr. K. Mathew Abraham as Chairman & Managing Director, effective immediately.
Mr. Abraham also serves as Vice Chairman of Tata Coffee Limited and Amalgamated Plantations Private Limited.
Having led KDHP as Managing Director & CEO since 2015, Mr. Abraham has driven the Company’s operational modernisation, sustainability leadership, and expansion of its consumer business. Under his leadership, KDHP became the first large plantation company in India to achieve Carbon Neutral and Climate Positive certification, while also expanding its retail footprint through the Ripple Tea – Chai Bazaar retail store format and the Ripple Tea brand.
Mr. Abraham also served as President of the United Planters’ Association of Southern India (UPASI) for 2024-25 and played a key role in reviving the India International Tea Convention last year. In this capacity, he led key industry delegations engaging with the Ministry of Commerce & Industry and the Ministry of Agriculture, actively advocating critical sectoral priorities.
Commenting on the way forward for KDHP, Mr. Abraham said:
“As KDHP enters its next phase of growth, our priority will be to accelerate value creation through operational excellence, enhanced value addition through specialty teas, expansion of our B2C footprint through our retail brands, Ripple Tea and Chai Bazaar stores, sustainability leadership, and the adoption of technology and AI in plantation operations, while remaining true to the values that define our employee- owned enterprise.”
The Board also announced the appointment of Mr. Amir Abbas Khan as Executive Director & Chief Executive Officer (CEO).
Mr. Khan brings nearly three decades of experience across plantation operations, tea manufacturing, marketing, and global sales. He has held several leadership positions within KDHP and most recently served as Vice President – Tea Manufacture, following over a decade leading the Company’s Marketing & Sales operations.
He has also held diverse leadership responsibilities across tourism, medicinal and aromatic plant initiatives, and allied agricultural businesses. In recognition of his all- round performance, he was awarded the Tata Business Excellence Award in 2003- 04.
Mr. Khan has also contributed to industry leadership through the Tea Trade Association of Cochin, serving as Vice Chairman and Chairman between 2016 and 2018. During his tenure, key initiatives such as the Pan India Auction and Bharat Auctions were successfully implemented in South India in alignment with the Tea Board of India.
The Board placed on record its appreciation for the leadership and contribution of outgoing Chairman Mr. Percy T. Siganporia, whose guidance significantly strengthened KDHP’s strategic direction and governance framework.