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Kumar Venkatasubramanian, who will take over as the new chief executive officer of P&G India from May 1 will focus on a portfolio of daily use products where performance drives brand choice, and raises the bar on all aspects including product, package, brand communication, retail execution. His appointment comes even as FMCG players are facing slower rural consumption amid inflationary trends.
“The India organisation is on a momentum, delivering consistent results and a balanced top and bottom-line growth. It will be important for us to remain focused on our integrated growth strategy, as I believe it is the right strategy for us to deliver sustained outcomes,” Venkatasubramanian said after the FMCG company announced his appointment.
- Also read: To boost consumption in rural markets, FMCG players need to offer the right value: BCG’s Namit Puri
The new role is sort of a homecoming for Venkatasubramanian. An alumnus of Indian Institute of Management, Calcutta and National Institute of Technology, Durgapur, the 48 year old honcho is currently the Managing Director of P&G Australia and New Zealand. But prior to moving to Australia in 2020, he was Sales Director and Oral Care Commercial Leader at P&G India.
“It is a moment of great pride for me to come back to India and spearhead the P&G business in the country. I look forward to being back in the market, learning more about the Indian consumers and serving their needs,” he said.
“We will focus on a portfolio of daily-use products where performance drives brand choice and raise the bar on all aspects of our superiority strategy– product, package, brand communication, retail execution, and value. We aim to lead constructive disruption in the industry across the value chain. I believe that our agile, empowered, and accountable organisation will be at the heart of our growth. I look forward to working with our incredibly talented team in India once again and playing a part in the India growth story,” said Venkatasubramanian.
Journey
In a career spanning over 23 years with P&G, Kumar has experience in leading complex categories across large markets including Brazil, India and Australia.
An alumnus of IIM Calcutta, Kumar who is presently the Chief Operating Officer for P&G Australia joined the company in the sales team in 2000 as a fresh recruit.
48-year-old Kumar rose in P&G India as he managed partnerships with various distributor operations and key customers. With a focus on strong category growth, Kumar led the oral care category for the company up till 2020.
He is a staunch advocate for equality and has introduced several programmes for employees including P&G ANZ’s largest-ever corporate partnership with the Sydney Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras
In his 23+ years career, Kumar has led complex categories across some of the world’s largest markets including India, Brazil, and Australia. Kumar rose the ranks in P&G India as he managed partnerships with various distributor operations and key customers
Market challenges
Market experts believe that the CEO will have to navigate the company through changing technology, inflation and stiff competition in the domestic market.
“The new CEO of P&G India will likely face some ongoing challenges in the market. P&G has traditionally focused on premium products. However, inflation and competition from budget brands could necessitate a shift towards offering more for less. This can be tricky as it shouldn’t cannibalise their existing high-end market share,” said Amit Goel, Co-Founder and Chief Global Strategist at Pace 360.
“Indian consumers are increasingly drawn to niche brands, sustainable products, and direct-to-consumer models. P&G will need to adapt its strategy to cater to these evolving preferences. Consumer preferences are evolving. P&G needs to be more agile and receptive to new trends, especially those in the fast-growing e-commerce sector,” Goel added.
But Venkatasubramanian is no stranger to these challenges. “We aim to lead constructive disruption in the industry across the value chain. I believe that our agile, empowered, and accountable organisation will be at the heart of our growth. I look forward to working with our incredibly talented team in India once again and playing a part in the India growth story,” said Venkatasubramanian.
Venkatasubramanian will take over from LV Vaidyanathan, who will leave the company to pursue other interests after 28 years of service to P&G.
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