Brands
Dabur likely to name Herjit Bhalla as CEO
MUMBAI: Dabur India could be on the verge of a corner office reshuffle. According to media reports, the company is likely to appoint Herjit S Bhalla as its next chief executive officer, marking a significant leadership transition at one of India’s oldest consumer goods firms.
If the appointment is confirmed, Bhalla is expected to report to current CEO Mohit Malhotra, who might be slated to move into a more senior and elevated role within the organisation. The change would underline continuity at the top, rather than a sharp change in direction.
Bhalla is a familiar name in global FMCG circles. He is currently with The Hershey Company, where he has spent more than eight years in senior leadership roles across India, Asia Pacific, the Middle East, Africa and, most recently, Canada. Based in Dubai, he now serves as vice president for Canada and Global Customers, following earlier stints overseeing India and the wider AEMEA region.
Before joining Hershey, Bhalla was chief operating officer for North and East India at Metro Cash and Carry, leading growth and expansion in some of the country’s most competitive wholesale markets. His deepest roots, however, lie at Hindustan Unilever, where he spent over 16 years across sales, marketing and general management roles in India and overseas.
At HUL, Bhalla led large teams, managed multi brand portfolios and played a key role in high impact growth initiatives such as Winning in Many Indias. His international experience includes running Unilever’s foods business across Russia, Ukraine and Belarus, where he handled a complex turnaround in a fiercely competitive market.
For Dabur, the reported move suggests a preference for a steady hand with both global exposure and strong India credentials. Bhalla’s career has been built on scaling brands, sharpening distribution and delivering consistent growth, all familiar terrain for a company whose fortunes are closely tied to everyday consumption.
Malhotra’s expected move into a broader role would also mark an evolution rather than a departure. Under his leadership, Dabur has navigated volatile input costs and shifting consumer demand, while reinforcing its core health and wellness positioning.
While Dabur has not made an official announcement, the reports have already set the rumour mill buzzing. If they hold true, the baton at Dabur may soon pass to a seasoned insider to the FMCG playbook, keeping the company firmly on a steady, familiar path.