Colgate-Palmolive India appoints Manish Anandani as Managing Director and CEO

Manish Anandani will take charge as MD and CEO of Colgate-Palmolive India from September 28, succeeding Prabha Narasimhan, who has been elevated to a regional leadership role.

Colgate-Palmolive India has appointed Manish Anandani as its new Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer for a five-year term, effective September 28, 2026, subject to shareholder and statutory approvals. He will succeed Prabha Narasimhan, who has been promoted to Executive Vice President – Marketing, Asia-Pacific division of Colgate-Palmolive.

Anandani returns to Colgate with nearly three decades of experience spanning sales, marketing, general management and senior leadership. He joins the company from Kenvue, where he served as Managing Director for India and South Asia.

His appointment also marks a return to the company he first joined in 2005. During his earlier 13-year stint with Colgate-Palmolive, Anandani held several roles across India, Indochina and the company’s corporate office. His last position was Worldwide Director in the global customer development function, where he worked on retail marketing and shopper development capabilities.

The leadership transition comes at an important point for Colgate-Palmolive India as the company continues to pursue premiumisation, strengthen its brand portfolio and expand its presence across digital, e-commerce and quick-commerce channels. More than half of the company’s quick-commerce business is now derived from premium products, highlighting the growing importance of premium offerings in its growth strategy.

Anandani’s return is therefore significant not only because of his familiarity with the organisation but also because of his experience navigating evolving consumer markets. His background across traditional sales and marketing as well as newer digital and e-commerce models could help Colgate build on its existing growth momentum while responding to increasing competition from established FMCG players and emerging brands. He holds a degree in Electronics, an MBA in Marketing and an Executive MBA in Leadership from the Tuck School of Business in the US.

Meanwhile, Narasimhan’s transition represents a continuation of her leadership journey within the Colgate-Palmolive group. During her four-year tenure as MD and CEO, she steered the India business through a period of premiumisation and portfolio-led growth, with the company’s premium portfolio reportedly growing at five times the pace of the broader market. She will now take on the role of Executive Vice President-Marketing for Colgate-Palmolive’s Asia-Pacific division.

For Colgate-Palmolive India, the change brings together continuity and fresh perspective. With Anandani’s previous experience within the company and his subsequent exposure to evolving consumer and digital ecosystems, the leadership transition sets the stage for the next phase of growth for one of India’s most established consumer brands.