Colgate-Palmolive India names Manish Anandani MD & CEO; Narasimhan moves to APAC marketing
Manish Anandani will become Colgate-Palmolive India’s MD and CEO on 28 September 2026, succeeding Prabha Narasimhan, who will move to EVP–Marketing, Asia-Pacific. The company is expected to continue prioritising premiumisation, digital commerce and quick commerce.
What happened
Colgate-Palmolive (India) · Colgate-Palmolive India will appoint Manish Anandani as MD and CEO on September 28, 2026, succeeding Prabha Narasimhan, who becomes
Key facts
- Prabha Narasimhan's transition effective close of business on 27 September 2026
- Manish Anandani appointed MD & CEO effective 28 September 2026
- Narasimhan led Colgate-Palmolive India for four years
- Premium portfolio growth reached five times the broader market pace
- E-commerce delivered high double-digit topline expansion
- More than 50% of e-commerce sales came from premium products
- E-commerce gross margins were 400 basis points above company averages
- Colgate-Palmolive India marks 90 years of operations
- Anandani has 30 years of experience
- Anandani previously spent 13 years at Colgate-Palmolive from 2005 to 2018
Why this matters
Narasimhan’s APAC marketing move and Anandani’s appointment reinforce Colgate-Palmolive’s regional bench strength, potentially accelerating cross-market digital, premium-brand and channel-partnership initiatives.
What to watch
- Appointment of Anandani's successor or direct-report changes in India marketing, sales and digital commerce.
- Management commentary on growth targets, gross-margin ambitions and premium-product contribution after September 2026.
- Quick-commerce sales growth, dark-store availability and platform partnerships with Blinkit, Zepto, Swiggy Instamart and other operators.
- New premium oral-care, personal-care or electric-toothbrush launches and price-pack architecture changes.
- Competitive response from HUL, Dabur, Sensodyne/Haleon, Patanjali and private-label brands in digital channels.
- Evidence that India-developed campaigns or products are scaled across APAC, or that APAC platforms enter India.
- Reaffirm FY27 growth priorities and quantify the role of premiumisation, e-commerce and quick commerce in investor or earnings communication.
- Review India leadership roles below the MD & CEO level, especially sales, digital commerce, marketing and supply-chain positions.
- Increase quick-commerce-specific SKUs, bundled packs, search advertising and platform-exclusive promotional activity.
- Prioritise premium oral-care launches and expand distribution for higher-price sensitivity, whitening and electric-brush propositions.
- Use APAC marketing coordination to adapt regional innovation platforms and media capabilities for Indian consumers.