Japan’s leading white goods maker Panasonic Corp has appointed its Indian operations president and CEO Manish Sharma as the vice president of the global appliances company. Sharma has become the only Indian to be a part of the company’s global team. Daizo Ito, the chairman of Panasonic India, has also been appointed as the senior vice president, ecosolutions company and in-charge of global marketing. Sharma will be in charge of shaping the global business plans and driving profitable growth along with sustainable business development for the appliances division. The company wants to grow in the emerging markets making India its strategic headquarters. Sharma had joined Panasonic in 2008 and has been instrumental in spearheading the growth of Panasonic India from a consumer electronics company to a technology solutions company. In his current role as the president, Sharma leads Panasonic in India including group and sister companies and the group support operations. He is also credited with transforming Panasonic’s smartphone business in India. Meanwhile, the foundation stone laying ceremony of a new refrigerator manufacturing unit at Panasonic Technopark, Jhajjar was performed by Manohar Lal Khattar, Chief Minister, Haryana.