India's retail giant Avenue Supermarts Ltd, the operator of the popular DMart supermarket chain, has initiated a significant overhaul of its top leadership. This move comes as the company's new chief executive officer, Anshul Asawa, steps into his role, signaling a strategic pivot for the value retailer.
The New Leadership Blueprint
In a filing to the stock exchanges dated 10 January 2026, the company announced a streamlined senior leadership team of four executives, effective from 1 February 2026. This marks the first major organizational change since Asawa was appointed CEO designate in March 2025, taking over from longtime chief executive Ignatius Navil Noronha.
The new core team comprises:
- Sachin Jaolekar as Vice-President for FMCG, bringing over 25 years of experience from Hindustan Unilever and modern retail.
- Dastgir Shaikh as Vice-President for General Merchandising, a DMart veteran since 2005 with deep sourcing and private label expertise.
- Shyam Gupta as Head of Apparels, formerly leading private brands at Shoppers Stop.
- Rushabh Ghiya as Head of Investor Relations and Chief of Staff, a chartered accountant with a background in Kotak Investment Banking.
This compact structure replaces a much larger, 14-member senior management team that DMart had evolved into by 2025. The shift reflects a deliberate move away from layered management towards a sharper, category-focused execution model.
Why DMart is Embracing a Leaner Approach
Executive search expert Rituparna Chakraborty of TruSearch notes that leadership needs evolve with a company's lifecycle. "In different stages of an organization, you need different kinds of leaders," she stated, highlighting that profiles suited for pre-IPO phases may not fit the next decade of growth.
For DMart, this restructuring is a direct response to a radically transformed retail landscape. The company, famed for its cost discipline, now faces intense pressure from quick commerce platforms, e-commerce pricing wars, and shifting consumer demands. A leaner team is seen as a way to accelerate decision-making and enhance accountability in this fast-paced environment.
The new structure directly focuses on DMart's three main revenue streams: FMCG, general merchandise, and apparel. Each now has a dedicated leader, underscoring CEO Anshul Asawa's strategy to drive category-led growth with precision.
Contrast with Peers and Inherent Risks
DMart's new model stands in stark contrast to the function-heavy hierarchies of some listed rivals. For instance, Vishal Mega Mart maintains a broad structure with multiple C-suite roles across finance, IT, HR, and separate business officers for each category. Similarly, Spencer's Retail operates with a larger senior team emphasizing compliance and traditional function-led governance.
However, this transition is not without risk. "Asawa will have to navigate the leadership transition risk because it's a high execution-focused organization," cautioned Chakraborty. The potential loss of institutional knowledge as long-serving leaders depart is a concern. DMart's core challenge will be to maintain its legendary operational efficiency while adapting its culture to this new, agile framework.
The company's journey since its 2017 IPO, where its market cap was over ₹37,000 crore, to its current valuation exceeding ₹2.47 trillion, illustrates its massive growth and the increasing complexity this brings. This leadership reset is DMart's bet on a simpler, faster command structure to win the next phase of India's retail war.
