Nestlé India names former Pernod Ricard CHRO Nitu Bhushan as HR head
Nitu Bhushan’s elevation is part of a wider management reshuffle, with finance and technical function transitions lined up through 2026
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Nestlé India has appointed Nitu Bhushan, former chief human resources officer at Pernod Ricard India, as its new Head- Human Resources, according to a stock exchange filing.
Bhushan will assume charge from March 2, 2026.
Her appointment comes as part of a broader leadership churn at the Indian arm of the Swiss FMCG giant, with several senior-level changes lined up over the next 15 months across key functions, including finance and technical operations.
Bhushan joins Nestlé India after a stint at Pernod Ricard and brings with her experience from leadership roles at Abbott, Mondelez and HSBC, as per her LinkedIn profile. The executive search for the role was reportedly conducted by Egon Zehnder International, and the India board was not involved in the selection process.
Alongside the HR leadership change, Nestlé India also announced a series of senior management movements. Svetlana Boldina, executive director – finance and control and chief financial officer, will move to a new assignment within a Nestlé affiliate and step down from her India role effective January 31, 2026. The company said her successor will be announced at a later date.
Satish Srinivasan, executive director – technical, is set to retire on May 31, 2026. In preparation for the transition, Jagdeep Singh Marahar has been appointed Whole-time Director with effect from June 1, 2026, and will serve as Head – Technical during the interim period.
The leadership reset at Nestlé India comes against the backdrop of intensifying competition in the packaged foods and FMCG space, where established players such as Nestlé, ITC and Hindustan Unilever are facing growing pressure from regional, local and direct-to-consumer brands, posing challenges to growth.
At the global level, parent company Nestlé SA announced in October a plan to cut around 16,000 jobs over two years as part of a restructuring drive under its new CEO, Philipp Navratil, aimed at improving returns and sharpening focus on higher-margin products.
Nestlé to cut 16,000 jobs globally as new CEO pushes efficiency amid sales growth
In India, the changes follow the appointment of Manish Tiwary as managing director and chairman of Nestlé India. Tiwary joined as MD-designate on February 1, 2025, after transitioning from Amazon.
