A changing of the guard in India’s consumer good sector

The year 2025 marked a turning point for India’s consumer products industry as a trio of seasoned leaders - Suresh Narayanan of Nestlé India, Varun Berry of Britannia Industries and C.K. Venkataraman of Titan Company - exited the stage after years of shaping some of the country’s most trusted brands. Their departures closed a chapter defined not just by scale and profitability, but by resilient leadership in the face of disruption.

Each executive navigated defining crises that tested both strategy and temperament. Narayanan famously steered Nestlé India through the Maggi controversy, restoring credibility through transparency, innovation and an unwavering focus on people. Berry transformed Britannia by walking away from destructive price wars, proving that disciplined cost management and long-term thinking could make even biscuits a high-margin business. Venkataraman, meanwhile, rewrote the playbook for jewellery retail at Titan, broadening access without compromising trust and building brands with deep emotional resonance.

What binds these leaders is a shared belief in long-term value creation over short-term wins. All three invested heavily in governance, brand equity and organisational culture, ensuring their companies were built to outlast market cycles.

As they step aside, their legacy offers a clear lesson for the next generation of CPG leaders: sustainable growth is forged through resilience, principled decision-making and a deep respect for consumers and employees alike.