Avenue Supermarts names Anshul Asawa as CEO; Ignatius Navil Noronha to step down

Avenue Supermarts has announced that the tenure of its managing director and chief executive officer, Ignatius Navil Noronha, will conclude on January 31, 2026. Noronha will cease to hold office at the close of business hours on that date.

Based on the recommendation of the company’s Nomination and Remuneration Committee, the Board has approved the appointment of Anshul Asawa as chief executive officer and key managerial personnel, effective February 1, 2026.

Further, Asawa will be appointed managing director for a term of three years starting April 1, 2026, subject to shareholders’ approval. He is currently serving as CEO-designate of the company.

In 2025, Avenue Supermarts’ board had appointed Asawa as CEO-designate with effect from March 15, 2025, as part of a structured leadership transition.

Asawa began his career at Unilever in 1995, where he went on to hold multiple senior leadership roles across sales and marketing in the foods and refreshment business in India. He also led marketing for some of the company’s leading tea brands in the country.

Over the years, he took on wider global responsibilities, including serving as implementation director for Western Europe, before being elevated to general manager – east branch and rural channels. He later became vice president – marketing operations, Unilever South Asia, where he supported the EVP South Asia in driving portfolio strategy and performance across the cluster.

Asawa has also held roles such as regional category vice president, South Asia; global vice president – Radiant brand; and vice president – marketing, home care, Unilever Europe. As former global vice president – digital, e-commerce and customer development, and general manager, Home Care Professional, he led channel transformation initiatives and the global customer agenda for home care, accelerating growth in emerging channels through new portfolios and routes to market.

He was also the global lead for Unilever’s fast-growing home care e-commerce business, building online-focused portfolios and driving content and demand strategies, and led the Unilever Professionals business globally.

Noronha, who joined DMart in January 2004 as head – operations from Hindustan Unilever, where he had worked as a sales and modern trade officer, has been instrumental in shaping Avenue Supermarts’ journey from its early years to its current position as one of India’s largest supermarket chains, according to media reports.

Under his leadership, DMart expanded rapidly across the country, strengthening its reputation for operational efficiency and value-led retailing.