Brands
Anshul Asawa to take the helm at DMart as CEO from February
MUMBAI: Avenue Supermarts, the company behind the ever-busy DMart aisles, has lined up a smooth handover at the top. Anshul Asawa has been appointed chief executive officer and key managerial personnel, effective 1 February 2026, following approval by the board and its nomination and remuneration committee.
Asawa, who is currently CEO designate, will also step into the role of managing director from 1 April 2026 for a three-year term, subject to shareholder approval. The move signals a carefully planned leadership transition at one of India’s most admired retail success stories, underscoring its focus on governance and long-term succession rather than sudden shifts.
With nearly three decades at Unilever behind him, Asawa brings global polish and operational grit in equal measure. His career spans senior leadership roles across India, Europe and Southeast Asia, including stints as general manager for Home Care in Greater Asia, head of Unilever Thailand, and global vice president for digital, e-commerce and customer development. From building billion-rupee brands to expanding rural distribution and scaling e-commerce channels, his résumé reads like a masterclass in consumer business.
For DMart, known for quiet consistency rather than loud reinvention, Asawa’s appointment blends experience with intent. It is less about changing the tune and more about ensuring the music plays on, steadily, profitably and for the long haul.
Brands
Hardik Jhaveri named senior director marketing at Colgate-Palmolive Asean hub
Former Hill’s Pet Nutrition general manager returns to the company to steer marketing for South Asean from Kuala Lumpur
KUALA LUMPUR:Â Hardik Jhaveri has been appointed senior director marketing for the South Asean hub at Colgate-Palmolive, marking a return to the consumer goods major after a three year stint with Hill’s Pet Nutrition. He will be based in Kuala Lumpur and will lead marketing strategy for the region.
Jhaveri joins the role after serving as general manager at Hill’s Pet Nutrition in Taipei, where he led a cross functional team and oversaw the business with full profit and loss responsibility. The role placed him at the helm of operations in Taiwan, managing growth in what he described as a start-up style environment within a global multinational.
Before that, Jhaveri spent over a decade with Colgate-Palmolive across several marketing and innovation roles in Asia. As associate director innovation for Apac excluding China, based in Hong Kong, he led new product development and launches across multiple markets.
His portfolio ranged from developing specialised oral care products such as a diabetes focused toothpaste for the Indian market to launching premium oral care experiences under the Colgate Total brand in Australia. Alongside innovation, he also worked on launch planning, brand strategy and communications for the company’s oral care portfolio.
Earlier in his Colgate-Palmolive journey, Jhaveri held roles including marketing manager innovation, senior brand manager and brand manager. His work spanned urban and rural markets in Mumbai and customer development responsibilities in the Greater Kolkata Area.
Prior to his long association with Colgate-Palmolive, Jhaveri worked as brand officer home care at Unilever, where he helped drive marketing initiatives for the Rin detergent brand, including nationwide relaunch and on ground activation campaigns.
He began his career in advertising with Bates David Enterprise, working on brands such as IDBI Bank, The Leela Hotels and The Times of India.
Jhaveri holds a post graduate programme in management from the Indian School of Business and has also completed a level 4 diploma in wine from the Wine & Spirit Education Trust.
Announcing the move, Jhaveri said he is excited to begin his new chapter at Colgate-Palmolive’s South Asean hub and thanked colleagues and mentors who supported his journey at Hill’s Pet Nutrition.
