Wipro Consumer Care & Lighting’s longstanding CEO Vineet Agrawal will retire in January 2026 after 40 years with the organisation. Kumar Chander, currently president – Southeast Asia and Yardley India, will take over as CEO effective February 1, 2026. The announcements were made by Wipro Consumer Care on Monday. Agrawal is also MD of Wipro Enterprises.
Beginning October 2025, Kumar will work closely with Agrawal to ensure a smooth leadership transition, the company said. He will be based in Bengaluru, the firm added.
Agrawal, who joined Wipro in 1985 and became CEO of Wipro Consumer Care in 2002, was responsible for its aggressive organic and inorganic growth strategy. Over the last two decades, he led the transformation of the company, which had a turnover of Rs 300 crore in FY03 to Rs 10,625 crore in FY25. Wipro’s FMCG business, which was primarily focused on vanaspati, soap, and lighting in India, was taken to over 60 countries across categories including personal care, home care, skin care and foods products.
Under Agrawal’s leadership, Wipro Consumer Care completed 15 acquisitions and grew Santoor into one of India’s top two soap brands. Among acquisitions done by the company included labels such as Chandrika (in soaps), Glucovita (glucose drinks and tablets), and Aramusk (male grooming). Kerala-based packaged food brands Brahmins and Nirapara were also acquired by Wipro Consumer Care in the last few years.
Globally, Wipro Consumer Care snapped up companies such as Unza Holdings in 2007 followed by Yardley’s India and Middle East business in 2009, and its UK and Europe business in 2012. It also acquired Singaporean skincare company L.D. Waxson Group in 2012, and in 2016, bought China-based Zhongshan Ma Er Daily Products.
Azim Premji, chairman, Wipro Enterprises, said that Agrawal had built a strong platform for innovation and growth, taking the company to international markets.
Chander, on the other hand, has been with Wipro Consumer Care for 34 years and has led operations across India, Southeast Asia, and the Middle East. As president – Southeast Asia and Yardley India, he played a key role in integrating Wipro Consumer Care’s international acquisitions and establishing the acquired brands into leadership positions in these geographies, the company said.