Brands
DMart announces key leadership appointments
MUMBAI: Avenue Supermarts, the parent company of DMart, has announced significant leadership changes, including the appointment of Anshul Asawa as chief executive officer designate and senior managerial personnel, effective 15 March 2025. Asawa will succeed Ignatius Navil Noronha, the current managing director & CEO, when his term ends on 31 January 2026.
Reports are that Navil chose not to renew his contract after 20 years of being at the helm of the company transforming it from a five store operation to 380 stores all over India. In the process, he managed to accumulate a 1.95 per cent stake in DMart, which is valued at around Rs 5,000 crore, making him one of the richest professional CEOs in India.
Asawa will officially assume the role of MD & CEO on 1 February 2026, subject to shareholder and regulatory approvals.
An alumnus of IIT Roorkee and IIM Lucknow, Asawa brings a wealth of experience from his 30-year career at Unilever, where he held leadership roles in India, Asia, and Europe. Most recently, he served as country head for Unilever Thailand and general manager for the home care business in greater Asia. Known for his consumer-centric approach and focus on digital transformation, Asawa has spearheaded innovations in sales, marketing, and distribution.
Additionally, DMart has announced the following appointments and changes effective 11 January 2025:
* Hitesh Shah has been named head of the pharma business and designated senior management personnel. Shah, who joined DMart in 2007, has over 30 years of experience in sales, marketing, and retail management, including a 13-year tenure at Hindustan Unilever.
* Rajeev Chandrasekharan, previously general manager – DC, will now serve as head of the centre of excellence, overseeing process audits. With 23 years of experience in supply chain and operations, Chandrasekharan has been with DMart since 2015 and has also worked at Procter & Gamble, Gillette, and Toyota (Oman).
* Ashutosh Dhar will transition to the role of head-loss prevention but will no longer be classified as senior management personnel due to a change in reporting structure.
DMart, founded by Radhakishan Damani, operates 381 stores across India, offering a wide range of home and personal products at competitive prices. Headquartered in Mumbai, the company continues to expand with new locations planned across the country.
Brands
Ambit appoints Skanda Jayaraman as co-head of investment banking business
Leadership rejig sharpens ECM focus and expands sector-led advisory push
MUMBAI: Ambit Private Limited has strengthened its investment banking leadership with the appointment of Skanda Jayaraman as co-head of the division, signalling a sharper push into sector-led advisory and capital markets.
Jayaraman will share leadership responsibilities with Rahul Mody, as the firm looks to scale its advisory franchise and deepen client engagement across industries. The move is part of a broader leadership rejig aimed at expanding Ambit’s reach and execution capabilities in a competitive dealmaking environment.
With more than two decades of experience across fintech, investment banking and credit risk, Jayaraman brings a varied background to the role. He most recently founded Altflow Advisors, where he built a data-driven platform for the BFSI sector and advised mid-market clients on capital raising. Earlier, he served as CEO of Qapita Marketplace in Singapore and held a senior role at Spark Capital Advisors.
Alongside this appointment, Ambit has also realigned internal roles. Vikas Khattar will now focus exclusively on scaling the firm’s equity capital markets business while continuing to deepen its financial sponsors group coverage. The firm sees ECM as a key growth engine, driven by strong scalability and increasing capital market activity.
Commenting on the leadership changes, Ambit Private Limited group CEO Ashok Wadhwa said, “Skanda’s appointment marks an important step in driving the next phase of Ambit’s growth journey. His entrepreneurial mindset and strong execution track record will be instrumental as we partner with emerging and established leaders.”
The new structure is expected to enable more focused, sector-driven engagement, supported by dedicated leadership across key verticals. For Ambit, it is a case of tightening the top deck to play a bigger hand in India’s evolving M&A and capital markets landscape.
