Colgate-Palmolive India Names Manish Anandani as MD and CEO: What His Return Could Mean for the Business

Colgate-Palmolive India is entering a new leadership chapter.

Colgate-Palmolive India names Manish Anandani as MD & CEO, as Prabha Narasimhan moves to a broader APAC leadership role.

The company has appointed Manish Anandani as Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer, succeeding Prabha Narasimhan. Anandani will take charge from September 28, 2026, subject to shareholder and other applicable statutory approvals.

Narasimhan will step down from the India CEO role at the close of business on September 27 and move into a broader regional position as Executive Vice President, Marketing for Colgate-Palmolive's Asia-Pacific division.

The transition represents an interesting moment for one of India's most established consumer businesses.

A familiar face Returns

Anandani brings around 30 years of experience across sales, marketing, general management and senior leadership. More importantly, this is a return to familiar territory.

He joined Colgate-Palmolive in 2005 as a Regional Manager and subsequently held multiple roles across India, Indochina and the company's corporate office. Before leaving the organisation in 2018, he served as Worldwide Director in the Global Customer Development function, working on global retail marketing and shopper development capabilities.

He later moved to Kenvue, where he served as Managing Director for India and South Asia. His career has included leadership responsibilities across consumer businesses, with experience spanning enterprise strategy, digital and e-commerce transformation, sales, marketing and market expansion. That combination could prove particularly relevant as the Indian consumer landscape continues to evolve.

From India Leadership to a Regional Mandate

Prabha Narasimhan took over as Managing Director and CEO of Colgate-Palmolive India in 2022.

Her next move takes her from leading the India business to a wider Asia-Pacific marketing responsibility.

It is also a reflection of the depth of leadership opportunities within large consumer businesses, where experience in one of the world's most dynamic markets can translate into broader regional responsibilities.

Colgate-Palmolive's official leadership profile describes Narasimhan as having nearly three decades of experience across customer development, consumer marketing and innovation, including previous leadership at Hindustan Unilever.

Why this Transition Matters

India's consumer market is changing quickly. Consumers are becoming more willing to trade up. Digital and e-commerce channels are becoming increasingly important. At the same time, established FMCG companies are navigating changing consumption patterns while defending market share across highly competitive categories.

Colgate-Palmolive itself describes its strategy around long-term, sustainable growth, innovation and its core global brands. For Anandani, the opportunity will be to build on an established business while responding to these shifts. His previous experience at Colgate gives him familiarity with the organisation. His years outside the company bring a different perspective. His recent experience at Kenvue also adds exposure to consumer health, digital transformation and changing market dynamics.

The Bigger Picture

Leadership transitions at major consumer companies are worth watching because they often signal more than a change in title. They can influence how companies approach growth, distribution, innovation, digital commerce, marketing and portfolio strategy.

For Colgate-Palmolive India, Anandani's appointment brings a leader who already understands the organisation but returns after gaining almost a decade of experience outside it. And with Narasimhan moving into a broader Asia-Pacific role, both executives enter their next chapters with considerably larger platforms.

The next few years will show how Anandani combines Colgate's established strengths with the changing realities of India's consumer market.

For investors, founders and business leaders, it is another reminder that in large consumer businesses, leadership transitions can be an important signal of where the next phase of growth may come from.