Avenue Supermarts, the operator of D-Mart, has announced a significant change in its leadership. Anshul Asawa from Unilever has been appointed as the CEO Designate. Asawa is currently the Country Head for Unilever in Thailand and also serves as General Manager for Home Care in Greater Asia. Neville Noronha, the current Managing Director and CEO, will not seek to renew his term, which ends in January 2026.

The Board of Directors has expressed gratitude to Noronha for his exceptional service. Anshul Asawa will assume the role of CEO Designate starting March 15, 2025. Noronha has been with D-Mart since January 2004 and has played a crucial role in expanding the company from five stores to over 380 outlets. His leadership has been instrumental in D-Mart’s growth into one of India’s largest supermarket chains.

Leadership Transition at D-Mart

Anshul Asawa brings extensive experience from his 30-year career at Unilever, where he held various leadership roles across India, Asia, and Europe. He is an alumnus of IIT Roorkee and IIM Lucknow. During his time in India, Asawa excelled in sales, marketing, and distribution leadership positions. He will join D-Mart in March 2025 and is expected to take over as MD and CEO on February 1, 2026.

Neville Noronha will assist Anshul Asawa during the transition period to ensure a seamless handover. The company praised Noronha’s tenure for its transformative growth and commitment to operational excellence. Under his leadership, D-Mart established a strong corporate culture focused on efficiency, fairness, and customer value.

Impact of Noronha’s Leadership

CB Bhave, Chairman of Avenue Supermarts, commended Noronha’s ability to balance growth with attention to detail. “Neville made sure that growth and profits were not ends in themselves; rather they were the by-products of efficiency, fairness and customer value,” said Bhave. As of December 31, 2024, Avenue Supermarts operated 387 stores across India.

This leadership change marks a new chapter for D-Mart as it continues its expansion under new guidance. The company looks forward to leveraging Asawa’s expertise to further strengthen its market position while maintaining its core values and operational excellence.