Colgate-Palmolive India has announced a leadership transition, with industry veteran Manish Anandani set to become the company’s Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer. His appointment will take effect on 28 September 2026, subject to shareholder approval.
Anandani succeeds Prabha Narasimhan, who will move into a larger regional role as Executive Vice President, Marketing, Asia-Pacific at Colgate-Palmolive. After leading the Indian business for four years, Narasimhan will oversee marketing strategy across one of the company’s fastest-growing regions.
Anandani’s appointment marks a return to Colgate-Palmolive after spending 13 years with the company between 2005 and 2018. During that period, he held leadership roles across India, Indochina, and the global customer development division, eventually serving as Worldwide Director, Global Customer Development.
After leaving, he joined Kenvue, the consumer health company formerly part of Johnson & Johnson, where he led operations as Managing Director for India and South Asia. His experience covers sales, marketing, e-commerce, digital business, and general management, making him a seasoned leader in the consumer goods industry.
Since taking charge in September 2022, Prabha Narasimhan has led Colgate-Palmolive India through steady business growth despite a competitive FMCG market. The company expanded its premium oral care portfolio, strengthened its presence on e-commerce and quick-commerce platforms, and continued large-scale oral health awareness initiatives.
Her promotion reflects the growing importance of the Asia-Pacific market within Colgate-Palmolive’s global strategy and places an Indian executive in a significant regional leadership role.
The leadership change comes as India’s oral care market grows more competitive, with consumers shifting toward premium products, specialised toothpastes, and digital-first shopping channels. Anandani’s background in customer development and modern retail could help accelerate the company’s next growth phase.
Investors will also be watching closely as Colgate-Palmolive India balances market expansion with changing consumer spending trends in the FMCG sector.
Colgate-Palmolive has operated in India for more than eight decades and remains one of the country’s strongest oral care brands. Leadership transitions within long-established FMCG companies often signal strategic shifts, especially in areas such as premiumisation, digital commerce, and rural market expansion.
