Neville Noronha To Exit Avenue Supermarts, Unilever’s Anshul Asawa Named CEO Designate

The Board of Directors of Avenue Supermarts Limited approved the appointment of Anshul Asawa as the company’s Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Designate and Senior Managerial Personnel (SMP) on January 11, 2025, with effect from March 15, 2025.

Ignatius Navil Noronha will complete his current five-year term as MD on January 31, 2026. Asawa will succeed Ignatius Navil Noronha, taking on full responsibilities as MD and CEO with effect from February 1, 2026. This is subject to the approval of the company’s shareholders.

Asawa, an alumnus of IIT Roorkee and IIM Lucknow and a former McKinsey executive, has over 30 years of experience at Unilever, including leadership positions across India, Asia, and Europe. He is currently the country head of Unilever in Thailand. Neville, who has led DMart since 2004, will assist in ensuring a smooth transition until his tenure ends.

Furthermore, the Board has approved the appointment of Hitesh Shah, Vice President-Category (FMCG), as Head-Pharma Business to oversee the pharmacy business, designated as Senior Management Personnel; the appointment of Rajeev Chandrasekharan, General Manager-DC, as Head-Centre of Excellence to oversee the process audit function of the company, designated as Senior Management Personnel; and the change in role of Ashutosh Dhar as Head-Loss Prevention. Dhar shall not be considered a Senior Management Personnel due to a change in his reporting structure.