Colgate-Palmolive Appoints Former HUL Executive Director Prabha Narasimhan As CEO

Prabha Narasimhan, a former Hindustan Unilever (HUL) executive, has been appointed the new CEO and MD of Colgate-Palmolive (India) as Ram Raghavan moves to take over a role at the parent company.

“This is to inform that nomination and remuneration Committee (“NRC”) of the board of directors of the company, at its meeting held today, noted that effective April 16, 2022, Ram Raghavan, managing director and CEO of the company has been promoted to president, enterprise oral care, for Colgate Palmolive Company, the parent company of Colgate-Palmolive (India) Limited and will be based out of its headquarter at New York,” it said.

“The NRC has further identified Prabha Narasimhan as managing director and chief executive Officer of Colgate-Palmolive (India) Limited and recommended her name to the Board of Directors for her appointment as such effective from September 1, 2022,” it added.

Issam Bachaalani, former MD Colgate-Palmolive (India), had handed over the reins to Raghavan in 2019 as he moved to a take over a role in the parent company. Raghavan had joined Colgate India in 1997 and was serving as vice-president, marketing, Asia Pacific division of oral care before being promoted to be the MD of the company.

Narasimhan’s departure from Hindustan Unilever (HUL) was announced by the company earlier this week. She is the executive director, home care (HC) for HUL and vice president, HC, Unilever, South Asia.

“Prabha led home care to deliver a strong performance across South Asia over the last two years. She has contributed immensely towards embedding the clean future agenda into the home care product development strategy,” Sanjiv Mehta, CEO and MD, had said in statement while announcing the management restructuring.

Narasimhan had joined HUL in 2006 as a regional marketing manager after a brief stint as general manager-strategy at Madura Garments. She has spent over 15 years with the company in various roles.

"Under Prabha’s leadership in 2016-19, Hindustan Unilever’s skin care business delivered a spectacular market-beating growth rate," said HUL's website.

"This was enabled by a broad-based performance delivery across all brands and sub-segments – colours business delivering high double – digit growth during the entire tenure, strengthening of our flagship brand Glow & Lovely and entry into newer skin care segments," it added

Prabha moved to the home care role in early 2020, said HUL's website.

Prabha has over 23 years of experience across consumer marketing insights, customer development and marketing roles in multiple geographies (South Asia & NAME) and categories (beauty and personal Care and refreshment), according to the website.