Colgate-Palmolive India is reshaping its marketing leadership. The company has appointed Akash Parekh as Executive Vice President – Marketing, effective December 1, 2026. He succeeds Gunjit Jain, who steps down on November 30 to pursue a professional growth opportunity outside the company.
Jain has spent more than 18 years at Colgate-Palmolive India. His resignation letter is dated October 22.
An insider with cross-market experience
Parekh is not an outside hire. He currently serves as Senior Director, Marketing – Asia Pacific, leading regional marketing strategy. He has been with Colgate-Palmolive since 2009 and brings nearly 17 years of company experience across India, North America and the Asia-Pacific region.
Across a two-decade marketing career, Parekh has worked on brand strategy, commercial execution, market expansion and consumer insights. He began his career at Nielsen in 2006, holds an MBA in Marketing from the Mumbai Educational Trust, and has completed the Global Leadership Development Program at Stanford University.
Why this transition matters
For marketing professionals, the move is a useful case study in how large FMCG organisations handle senior marketing succession. Instead of reaching for an outsider, Colgate-Palmolive India has promoted a marketer who already knows the company’s brands, categories and regional dynamics.
That typically signals a preference for continuity: the brand voice, agency relationships and commercial calendars are less likely to face a sharp reset in the short term. At the same time, every new leader brings their own emphasis, and the first few months are a signal window for agency partners, media owners and rival brand teams.
The appointment also fits a broader pattern in consumer goods. Companies groom leaders across APAC and other regions, then move them into country-level roles where local nuance meets global playbooks. For marketing students and mid-career professionals, Parekh’s route from Nielsen to brand strategy to regional leadership is a reminder that insights and commercial experience can build a path to the top marketing job.
What to watch after December 1
- Briefs and priorities: The new marketing chief’s first campaign briefs and category focus can indicate where investment is headed.
- Media mix and martech bets: Leadership changes often coincide with reviews of digital, retail and data-driven marketing tools.
- Agency roster moves: Creative, media and digital agency partners tend to watch leadership transitions closely for account changes.
The appointment marks the end of Jain’s long run and the start of a new chapter for one of India’s most closely watched FMCG marketing teams.
Source: Storyboard18
