United Spirits has said that its parent Diageo has contractual obligations under the Shareholders Agreement to support Vijay Mallya as non-executive director and chairman.

However, the agreement comes with a rider: it is subject to certain conditions and the absence of certain defaults.

Mallya recently stepped down from the board of MCF after lenders wrote a letter to the UB Group companies that they will not extend loan facilities until Mallya quits their boards.

In an email interview with Business Line, Anand Kripalu, chief executive officer of United Spirits, said the company will create new functions such as corporate relations and innovation; enhance some functions such as our Compliance & Ethics team and Optimize others as it goes forward to bring the best of Diageo & USL.

​"We are driving price, reducing the cost of goods sold, delivering cost efficiencies through throughout the organisation and our premiumisation strategy ensures that we are able to go after the creamier layer at the top​," he said. ​

We have also made a significant investment in upgrading our manufacturing facilities, establishing a better working environment for our employees, including a culture of zero harm, central to the Diageo way of operating.

​He said the transformation ​at ​USL has begun​. "We have over 100 brands and so we have to decide where to focus our investment certainly. We have a clear strategy to continue to build our power brands through increased investment, innovation and renovation," he said.

​Kripalu also said ​there are no current plans ​to increase Diageo's stake in United Spirits, beyond continuing the integration process​.