In a growing trend among Indian consumer companies, leadership positions are increasingly being filled by executives with significant Multinational Corporation (MNC) experience. Firms such as Avenue Supermarts (DMart), Tata Consumer Products, and Nestlé India are tapping into the expertise of leaders with careers at global giants like Unilever, PepsiCo, and Mondelez to navigate complex business landscapes and drive performance improvements.
The latest example is DMart, where CEO Neville Noronha, after more than two decades at the company, is stepping down to make way for Anshul Asawa, who brings a 30-year career at Unilever. Similarly, Tata Consumer Products brought in Sunil D’Souza, a former PepsiCo and Hindustan Unilever (HUL) executive, as CEO in 2020, replacing long-time Tata Group veteran Ajoy Misra. Godrej Consumer Products followed suit in 2021, appointing HUL veteran Sudhir Sitapati as MD and CEO. Other notable appointments include Prabha Narasimhan HUL alum) at Colgate-Palmolive India in 2022, Sameer Khetarpal (from Unilever and Amazon) at Jubilant FoodWorks the same year, and Vivek Gupta, a Procter & Gamble veteran, at United Breweries in 2023. Nestlé India is set to welcome Manish Tiwary, an HUL veteran and former Amazon executive, as its MD later this year.
This shift to MNC-trained leaders reflects the need to address intensifying competition, channel conflicts, and the challenges of operating in a rapidly digitizing marketplace. These leaders bring global exposure, governance expertise, and expansive professional networks, making them well-equipped to tackle external pressures and revitalize performance. However, this trend also comes with risks. Companies may lean too heavily on standardized global strategies and legacy models that might not align with local market dynamics, potentially fostering groupthink rather than fostering innovation.
Despite this, many consumer companies still rely on homegrown leadership. For example, Marico’s Saugata Gupta, Asian Paints’ Amit Syngle, Britannia’s Varun Berry, and Dabur’s Mohit Malhotra continue to helm their organizations, balancing institutional knowledge with localized strategies.
As the industry evolves, striking the right balance between global expertise and local market nuances will be critical for long-term success.