DMart parent Avenue Supermarts names Anshul Asawa CEO from February 1

Avenue Supermarts, the parent company of the DMart retail chain, has named Anshul Asawa as chief executive officer, effective 1 February 2026, signalling a planned leadership transition at India’s largest value grocer.

The company said Asawa’s three-year tenure, subject to shareholder approval, will begin as outgoing CEO Ignatius Navil Noronha completes his term at the end of January. The appointment was disclosed by Avenue Supermarts in a regulatory filing.

Asawa will take charge at a time when Avenue Supermarts is balancing store expansion with tighter cost controls amid rising competition in India’s organised retail market. DMart has built its position on scale, disciplined pricing and a largely owned-store model, even as rivals step up investments in omnichannel formats.

Noronha, who has led the company through a period of steady growth, will step down after completing his term, the company said.

Asawa brings nearly three decades of experience at Unilever, where he held senior leadership roles across India, Asia and Europe. His positions included country head for Thailand and general manager of the Home Care business for Greater Asia, according to the company.

An alumnus of IIT Roorkee and IIM Lucknow, Asawa’s career has spanned sales, marketing, product innovation and general management, with a focus on large-scale operations and execution.

During his tenure at Unilever, he led sales and distribution transformations, advanced digitalisation initiatives, and oversaw product innovation programmes across multiple categories, the company said.

The appointment comes as Avenue Supermarts prepares for its next phase of growth in a retail environment marked by margin pressure, shifting consumer demand and intensifying competition from both offline peers and online-first players.

Analysts have noted that leadership experience across diverse markets could be increasingly relevant as Indian retailers look to combine scale with operational efficiency.

With Asawa set to assume charge in February, investors will watch for signals on how Avenue Supermarts plans to sustain growth while protecting its low-cost operating model. The transition underscores the company’s focus on continuity, execution and long-term leadership planning as DMart expands its footprint across India.