In a move that reinforces continuity at the top, Avenue Supermarts Ltd, the owner of the DMart retail chain, has named Anshul Asawa as its new Chief Executive Officer, effective 1 February 2026. The appointment follows a planned transition, with Ignatius Navil Noronha completing his term at the end of January as the retailer navigates growth amid rising competition in India’s organised retail sector.
Anshul steps into the role at a critical stage for DMart, as the company balances rapid store expansion with tight cost control, a core pillar of its low-cost operating model. He brings nearly 30 years of experience from Unilever across India, Asia, and Europe, with deep expertise in large-scale operations, sales and distribution transformation, and digital initiatives.
Ahead of his formal appointment, Anshul has been serving as CEO Designate at DMart – Avenue Supermarts Ltd since March 2025. Based in Mumbai, he has worked closely with the leadership team to ensure a smooth handover and strengthen leadership continuity before assuming charge in February 2026.
Before joining Avenue Supermarts, Anshul spent close to 30 years at Unilever. His most recent role was General Manager, Greater Asia, Home Care and Head of Country, Unilever Thailand, based in Bangkok. In this position, he led regional growth and operations while holding overall market leadership responsibility in Thailand.
Earlier, he was based in Greater London, where he held several senior leadership roles including Chief Customer Officer – Home Care, Vice President – Digital Commerce, and General Manager – Unilever Professional. These roles reflected a strong focus on customer development, digital commerce, and B2B growth models in line with changing consumer and channel dynamics.
During his earlier global tenure, Anshul served as Global Vice President for Digital, E-commerce and Customer Development and as General Manager – Home Care Professional (B2B). He led global channel transformation programs, scaled new growth channels, built Unilever’s e-commerce business, and drove route-to-market innovation at scale.
Before his global assignments, Anshul was Vice President Marketing – Home Care, Unilever Europe, based in the Netherlands. There, he led a large portfolio across European markets, drove innovation programs, and supported strategic category expansion, including the entry of laundry in key markets. Earlier roles in India included Regional Category Vice President for South Asia and other senior commercial and marketing positions, where he shaped rural go-to-market strategies and led major distribution transformations.
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