Mr. Narayanan is the Chairman and Managing Director of Nestlé India with additional responsibilities for Nepal, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, and Maldives. He also serves as the Chairman of the CII National Committee on Food Processing Industries. He is a member of the Board of Governors of the Advertising Standards Council of India. He has held leadership positions in several international markets, including Thailand, Cambodia, Myanmar, Laos, Vietnam, Singapore, Egypt (North Africa Region), and the Philippines.
Mr. Narayanan is a quintessential ‘Peoples Leader’ who has had an unmatched record in steering the Nestlé ship towards calmer and progressive waters, repeatedly. The leader with a personal code and set of uncompromising values that have brough strength and purpose to his own life, and that of the organizations that he has led, with patent dignity, decency and commitments, that have defined his career. He has institutionalised the spirit of ‘People, Purpose and Partnership’ by celebrating diversity, inclusivity, and largeness-of-spirit within the organization by personifying the ideals of Nestlé, and upholding fidelity to its deep well of societal, environmental, moral, and corporate principles.
Mr. Narayanan’s achievements and exemplary leadership skills have brought him several prestigious awards. He was conferred as the People Centric CEO by The Economic Times. Business Today magazine recognized him as Best CEO – FMCG for three consecutive years, Business World magazine awarded him as the ‘Most Valuable CEO’. He was acknowledged as one of the top 101 Male Gender Equality Champions Globally. He was adjudged the ‘Best CEO- MNC Category’ by Forbes Magazine and ‘Best CEO’ by CNBC Awaaz. Most recently he was accorded the transformation leader award by Asian Centre for Corporate Governance and Sustainability.
Under his guidance, Nestlé India has received numerous accolades, including being hailed as the ‘MNC of the Year’ by AIMA, ‘Outstanding Company of the year’ by CNBC TV18, and ‘Best Governed Company’ by Asian Centre for Corporate Governance & Sustainability. These achievements are a testament to his unwavering commitment to excellence, and his exceptional contributions to the industry. Mr. Narayanan’s philosophy of leadership, peppered with the wisdom of Kabir, instills a sense of purpose, inspires action. He has delivered talks at prestigious forums such NASSCOM, NUS School of Business- Singapore, American University–Cairo, Columbia University, Army War College Mhow, Naval War College- Goa, IIMs and ISB.
Mr. Narayanan has a master’s degree from Delhi School of Economics and completed an executive program from IMD and London Business. He was conferred with honoris causa, Doctor of Philosophy in Management by Bennett University, India.