Gunjit Jain, Executive Vice President, Marketing, at Colgate-Palmolive (India), will leave the company on November 30, 2026, after more than 18 years with the organisation. His resignation follows an external professional opportunity, according to a regulatory filing by the company.
The company’s Board of Directors has approved the appointment of Akash Parekh, currently Senior Director, Marketing, Asia Pacific (APAC), as Jain’s successor, effective December 1, 2026.
Jain took charge of marketing at Colgate-Palmolive India in February 2023. His responsibilities included business strategy, commercial planning, demand generation and marketing operations, alongside leading a team of more than 200 professionals across marketing and professional B2B functions. During his tenure, he worked on the company’s premiumisation strategy, brand-building initiatives and growth across e-commerce and quick commerce.
In his resignation letter, Jain acknowledged the support he received during his time with the company. “I am extremely grateful to the Company for an incredible tenure of over 18 years,” he wrote, expressing gratitude to the Board and leadership team. Details of his next professional step have not been disclosed.
He joined Colgate-Palmolive in June 2008 as a management trainee in India and went on to hold roles across sales, retail marketing and brand management. Between 2011 and 2014, he served as Senior Brand Manager, Oral Care, overseeing the company’s toothbrush portfolio before moving into regional marketing roles across Southeast Asia. His subsequent assignments covered home care and personal care businesses in Malaysia, Singapore and Indonesia, with responsibilities spanning brand strategy, innovation and commercial execution.
In 2018, Jain moved to the company’s global marketing team in New York as Associate Director, Global Marketing Oral Care. His work included the global relaunch of Colgate Total and international expansion plans for brands such as Tom’s of Maine and Hello. Parekh brings around two decades of experience in consumer marketing, brand strategy, commercial execution and market expansion. He joined Colgate-Palmolive in 2009 and has held positions across India, North America and APAC. In his current role, he leads regional marketing strategies for the APAC division. Before joining Colgate-Palmolive, Parekh began his career at Nielsen in 2006.
