Nykaa Beauty CEO Anchit Nayar outlines plan to scale beyond founder-led roots

In a Fortune India interview, Nykaa Beauty CEO Anchit Nayar discusses building an India-focused beauty business through brand-building, retail execution and multiple long-term growth levers, with an emphasis on resilience and patience.

— FiledSun, 30 Aug, 2026, 14:40 IST·First seen Sun, 30 Aug, 2026, 14:39 IST·Source Fortune India

What happened

Nykaa Beauty CEO Anchit Nayar discusses scaling the India-focused beauty retailer beyond its founder-led roots, combining brand-building with retail, and using

Key facts

  • 40 Under 40 2026
  • August 29, 2026
  • 20:31 IST

Why this matters

As Nykaa broadens beyond its founder-centric phase, it may become a more active partner or acquirer for brands and capabilities that deepen its India-focused beauty ecosystem.

What to watch

  • New executive appointments or changes in reporting lines across beauty, retail, supply chain and owned brands.
  • Store-count growth, store productivity and the mix of offline sales in quarterly disclosures.
  • Growth in beauty GMV versus fashion and e-commerce peers, alongside contribution-margin trends.
  • Announcements of exclusive brand partnerships, India launches or expanded premium-brand assortments.
  • Private-label revenue share, repeat-customer metrics, loyalty adoption and advertising income growth.
  • Any renewed increase in founder-led public positioning or direct operational intervention during major launches or earnings periods.
  • Expand senior category, merchandising, retail operations and brand-partnership leadership beneath the Beauty CEO.
  • Prioritise exclusive global and Indian brand launches, particularly in premium beauty, derma, fragrance and high-repeat categories.
  • Increase selective offline store expansion and strengthen store-to-online fulfillment, loyalty and assisted-selling capabilities.
  • Use private-label and owned-brand scaling to improve gross margins and reduce reliance on marketplace commissions.
  • Set more visible profitability, repeat-purchase and omnichannel productivity targets to demonstrate that institutionalisation is operational rather than symbolic.