Marico Taps L'Oréal Executive to Scale Digital Beauty Business
Marico appoints L'Oréal's regional eCommerce leader as Beauty CEO, signaling shift from acquisition-led to execution-led growth. Digital portfolio hit ₹750 crore run-rate in FY25.
Marico has appointed Ankit Porwal, a regional leader at L'Oréal with over 13 years of experience, as CEO of Beauty and Styling and Digital Business, signaling the Indian FMCG company's push to scale a digital-first beauty portfolio.
Porwal Brings L'Oréal's Digital Playbook to Marico
Porwal most recently served as Regional Director and General Manager for eCommerce and Marketing Transformation in L'Oréal's SAPMENA region, covering markets including Malaysia, Singapore, and Indonesia. His remit included building digital and eCommerce centers of excellence and developing data-driven strategies across multiple divisions.
In a departure statement, Porwal reflected on his time at L'Oréal: "L'Oréal taught me beauty and that a big vision only translates into results when passionate people are truly empowered."
At Marico, Porwal's appointment is framed as a key milestone in the company's "3.0 journey," a strategic phase focused on building digitally driven consumer brands. Marico's digital-first portfolio exited FY25 with an annualized revenue run-rate of ₹750 crore (US$82 million), exceeding initial management expectations.
Marico's US$183 Million Acquisition Strategy Enters Execution Phase
Since 2017, Marico has deployed approximately ₹1,665 crore (US$183 million) to acquire majority stakes in seven emerging brands, including Skinetiq, Just Herbs, and Beardo.
Management has now revised its growth target upward, aiming for 2.5 times the FY24 exit run-rate by FY27, up from an earlier two times target. The company is also targeting double-digit EBITDA margins by FY27.
The hire signals a shift from acquisition-led growth to execution-led scaling, a phase that requires different leadership capabilities than brand purchasing alone.
L'Oréal Digital Talent Increasingly Sought Across Industries
The appointment reflects a broader trend of experienced digital leaders moving from established beauty companies to emerging FMCG platforms and beyond.
L'Oréal's SAPMENA-SSA region, where Porwal most recently worked, recorded like-for-like sales growth of 10.9% in the company's 2025 financial results, with online channels identified as the primary growth driver in India, Southeast Asia, and GCC markets.
Competition for this specific talent profile extends beyond FMCG rivals. Lau Sook Ping, former Chief Digital and Marketing Officer for L'Oréal Malaysia and Singapore, transitioned to Meta as Country Director for Malaysia, demonstrating that platform companies are also recruiting beauty sector digital expertise.
In South Korea, the beauty sector captured 16% of all executive scouting offers in 2025, with 52% of those offers targeting mid-career professionals in sales, marketing, and distribution roles tied to export expansion.
Marico's Digital Portfolio Targets Profitable Scale by FY27
Marico's digital brand portfolio includes Skinetiq, Just Herbs, and Beardo, acquired as part of a deliberate strategy to build positions in fast-growing personal care categories.
The company's FY27 targets combine revenue scale with profitability, requiring both digital commerce growth and margin discipline across the portfolio. Porwal's background in building eCommerce infrastructure and data-driven consumer strategies at L'Oréal positions him to address both dimensions.
Marico has not announced additional executive appointments related to the digital portfolio restructuring at this stage.
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