Colgate-Palmolive India is set for a leadership change at the top just months after closing FY2025-26 with a 0.3% decline in sales and a 7.8% fall in profit.
The company on August 21 named Manish Anandani as its next Managing Director and CEO, with the former Colgate executive set to take charge on September 28, 2026.
The transition will also see current CEO Prabha Narasimhan move to a senior Asia-Pacific marketing role within the parent company.
Anandani Returns To Colgate
Anandani is returning to a company he already knows. He worked with Colgate-Palmolive between 2005 and 2018, holding roles across India, Indochina and the company’s corporate office. His last Colgate role was in global customer development.
He joins from Kenvue, the consumer health company formed from Johnson & Johnson’s former consumer health business, where he was Managing Director for India and South Asia. Colgate said Anandani brings 30 years of experience spanning sales, marketing, general management and senior leadership.
The board has approved his appointment for five years from September 28, subject to shareholder and other statutory approvals. That means Anandani is the incoming CEO, but the transition has not yet taken effect as of August 21.
Narasimhan Gets APAC Role
The change also represents a promotion for Narasimhan rather than an exit from the Colgate-Palmolive group.
Narasimhan will remain India’s MD and CEO until the close of business on September 27. From September 28, she will become Executive Vice President, Marketing, Asia-Pacific Division, Colgate-Palmolive. She took charge of the India business in September 2022.
Colgate said her four-year tenure included a greater focus on premiumisation, digital transformation, quick commerce and consumer-led innovation. The company said its premium portfolio grew at five times the pace of the broader market during this period.
The company also said e-commerce delivered high double-digit topline growth, with more than half of e-commerce sales coming from premium products. These figures were part of Colgate’s description of its recent business performance and strategy.
What Anandani Inherits
The numbers point to a business that remains highly profitable and category-leading, but where the latest annual performance was weaker than the previous year.
That makes the incoming leadership relevant beyond a routine executive succession. Anandani inherits an established oral-care franchise while taking over at a time when Colgate is placing greater emphasis on premium products and digital channels.
His experience is particularly relevant to that mix. Before joining Kenvue, he spent 13 years at Colgate across different markets and functions. At Kenvue, he led India and South Asia. His background therefore combines familiarity with Colgate’s organisation with experience outside the company.
However, it would be premature to attribute any specific future strategy to Anandani before he assumes office. The immediate facts are clearer: Colgate has appointed an experienced former executive, Narasimhan has received a broader Asia-Pacific mandate, and the India business enters the transition with category leadership but softer FY2025-26 financial results.
For Colgate-Palmolive India, the next phase will begin on September 28, when Anandani formally takes over as MD and CEO.
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