We are the first Coca Cola bottler in the world to implement Zero Trust: Uday Singh, Group CIO, Ludhiana Beverages

When Uday Singh speaks about technology, he does so not in abstract buzzwords, but in metaphors that resonate with business reality. “Data is the blood,” he says. “Every second it is flowing through the organisation. If you do not protect it, the whole body collapses.”

As Group CIO of Ludhiana Beverages, one of Coca Cola’s key bottling partners in India, Singh sits at the intersection of manufacturing, logistics, sustainability, compliance, and digital innovation. In an era where AI, cloud, and data are rewriting the rules of enterprise IT, his approach is unapologetically practical. “Innovate fast, but secure faster.”

AI will rule but only with security

Looking ahead to 2026, Singh sees Artificial Intelligence, particularly generative AI, as the defining force of enterprise transformation.

“AI is number one,” he says, “but AI without security is dangerous. If AI comes with security, the company will survive. If it ...