Colgate-Palmolive India is set for a significant leadership transition, with Manish Anandani appointed as Managing Director & CEO effective September 28, 2026. He will succeed Prabha Narasimhan, who will move to the role of Executive Vice President – Marketing, Asia-Pacific Division. The appointment is for a five-year term, subject to the required approvals.
Anandani returns to Colgate with around 30 years of experience across sales, marketing, general management and senior leadership. He joins from Kenvue, where he served as Managing Director for India and South Asia. His appointment also represents a homecoming: Anandani spent 13 years with Colgate-Palmolive between 2005 and 2018, holding leadership roles across India, Indochina and the company’s corporate office.
His return comes at an important moment for Colgate India. The company is pursuing a stronger premiumisation strategy, while digital commerce and quick commerce are becoming increasingly important channels for consumer-goods growth. Colgate-Palmolive India said its e-commerce business has been delivering high double-digit topline growth, with more than half of sales coming from premium products.
That makes Anandani’s experience particularly relevant. His background spans enterprise strategy, digital and e-commerce transformation and market expansion—areas that are becoming increasingly central to how established consumer brands compete in India’s rapidly changing market.
The leadership change also gives Colgate an opportunity to build on the momentum created under Narasimhan. During her tenure, the company focused on premiumisation, digital transformation, quick-commerce expansion and category development, while continuing to strengthen its leadership in oral care.
For Anandani, the challenge will be to translate his cross-category and digital experience into the next phase of Colgate India’s growth. The Indian consumer market is becoming more fragmented, competitive and digitally driven, with premium products, convenience-led commerce and innovation reshaping purchasing behaviour.
Colgate’s leadership transition is more than a change at the top. It signals a continued focus on premiumisation, digital commerce and higher-value growth—with a returning executive bringing both institutional knowledge and external market experience to the next chapter.
