New Delhi: FMCG major Dabur India has named global confectionery executive Herjit S. Bhalla as Chief Executive Officer for its India business, effective April 2026, as part of a leadership realignment that elevates incumbent chief Mohit Malhotra to a purely global role.
Bhalla will assume charge on April 1 and report to Malhotra, who has been redesignated as Whole-time Director & Global CEO from February 17, 2026, the company said in a regulatory filing. The appointment places a dedicated India CEO at the helm of Dabur’s largest market while Malhotra focuses on international expansion and group strategy.
Bhalla joins Dabur from The Hershey Company, where he currently serves as Vice President, Canada & Global Customers. Over an eight-year tenure at Hershey, he led India operations as Managing Director from 2018 and subsequently moved into broader regional and global assignments, including VP roles covering India, Canada and AEMEA markets.
With more than 25 years of experience across consumer goods and retail, Bhalla began his career at Unilever in 2000, holding a series of sales and marketing leadership roles across geographies. Between 2016 and 2022, he served as Marketing Director in Moscow for Unilever’s Russia business. He also had a stint as Chief Operating Officer and Executive Board Director at Metro Cash & Carry during 2016–17.
An alumnus of Delhi University (B.Com Hons) and MDI Gurgaon (MBA), Bhalla is expected to steer Dabur’s India portfolio across foods, personal care and healthcare categories, where the company derives a substantial share of revenues.
The leadership transition comes as Dabur sharpens its operating structure to separate India execution from global oversight, a model increasingly adopted by Indian consumer multinationals to accelerate domestic growth while scaling international markets.
The company said Bhalla has been appointed as “Chief Executive Officer – India Business” in the category of senior management personnel, formalising the reporting line to the Global CEO.
