Colgate-Palmolive India has announced a leadership transition, with Manish Anandani appointed as Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer, effective September 28, 2026. Prabha Narasimhan, the company’s current MD & CEO, will move to the role of Executive Vice President – Marketing, Asia-Pacific Division, effective close of business on September 27, 2026.
Narasimhan has led Colgate-Palmolive India for four years, during which she steered the company through a period of transformation and growth, strengthening its position in the oral care market. Under her leadership, the company accelerated its premiumisation strategy, with premium portfolio growth reaching five times the pace of the broader market, alongside volume-led growth, strong profitability and consistent topline performance.
Her tenure also saw increased focus on digital transformation, e-commerce and quick commerce, consumer-led innovation and category development. The company expanded efforts to drive oral health awareness across urban and rural markets through initiatives including Colgate Bright Smiles, Bright Futures and the Oral Health Movement.
Narasimhan brings experience across categories, markets and geographies. Before joining Colgate-Palmolive India, she held several senior leadership positions at Hindustan Unilever, including Executive Director for Home Care, where she managed businesses across multiple consumer categories. Her new Asia-Pacific mandate will draw on her experience in brand building and category development across India and international markets.
Colgate-Palmolive India is entering its next phase of growth with a continued focus on premiumisation, category expansion and operational efficiency. The company, which is marking 90 years of operations in India, is also increasing investments behind its brands and growth opportunities.
Digital commerce has emerged as a key growth driver for the company, with e-commerce and quick commerce contributing to topline growth, margin expansion and premiumisation. The e-commerce channel has recorded high double-digit topline growth, with more than 50% of sales coming from premium products. Gross margins in the channel are also around 400 basis points higher than the company's overall average.
Anandani brings three decades of experience spanning sales, marketing, general management and senior leadership. He joins Colgate-Palmolive India from Kenvue, formerly Johnson & Johnson Consumer Health, where he served as Managing Director for India and South Asia.
His experience includes enterprise strategy, digital and e-commerce transformation and market expansion. The appointment also marks a return to Colgate-Palmolive, where Anandani spent 13 years between 2005 and 2018. During his previous tenure, he held leadership roles across India, Indochina and the company's corporate office, eventually serving as Worldwide Director in Global Customer Development.
Anandani will take charge as MD & CEO at a time when Colgate-Palmolive India is looking to build on its recent momentum and further strengthen its position in the country's evolving oral care market.
