Britannia Industries appoints Rakshit Hargave as CEO effective December 2025

Britannia Industries has named Rakshit Hargave as its new Chief Executive Officer and additional Whole-time Director for a five-year term beginning 15 December 2025, the company announced in a regulatory filing.

Hargave, who currently serves as CEO of paints business Birla Opus under the Aditya Birla Group, will join Britannia upon shareholder approval, in a move aimed at bolstering its leadership amid intensifying competition and structural change in the Indian FMCG sector.

Hargave took charge at Birla Opus in November 2021 and led its start-up and scale-up phase, establishing six integrated manufacturing facilities and building a national distribution and supply-chain network across India.

His prior experience includes senior roles at Beiersdorf (including ASEAN/ANZ and Africa operations), Hindustan Unilever, Kimberly‑Clark Lever, Lakmé Lever and Jubilant FoodWorks—where he contributed to the launch of the Domino’s 30-minute delivery model.

He holds an MBA from the Faculty of Management Studies, Delhi University and an electrical engineering degree from IIT (BHU) Varanasi.

Britannia’s board said the appointment reflects its intent to strengthen leadership as the company seeks sustained growth, operational excellence and a broader consumer-foods ambition beyond its core biscuit business. Industry analysts note that the Indian FMCG sector is grappling with raw-material inflation, shifting consumer demand, and increased premiumisation—making leadership transitions especially meaningful.

In its filing, Britannia noted that “subject to shareholders’ approval”, Hargave’s appointment will align with the company’s five-year strategic agenda. The company also indicated that details about Hargave’s terms would be finalised in due course.

As Hargave exits Birla Opus, his successor there is yet to be named; in the interim, Birla Opus Managing Director Himanshu Kapania will oversee the paints business. Meanwhile, at Britannia, the appointment comes after its previous CEO departed earlier in the year, leaving the managing-director as interim custodian of the role.