Varun Alagh

Varun, a graduate from Delhi College of Engineering (DCE) and holder of an MBA from XLRI Jamshedpur, is currently spearheading the creation of an array of honest, natural, and safe products under his venture Honasa. The maiden offering from this venture is mamaearth, the first MadeSafe certified brand in Asia, aimed at alleviating parenting stress by offering secure and natural product alternatives. In his most recent role, Varun successfully managed one of the world's most esteemed brands, CocaCola, along with its Diets and Lights portfolio across India and South West Asia, including Bangladesh, Nepal, and Sri Lanka. Prior to this role, he played a pivotal role at Diageo Plc, where he held the reins of managing the Indian operations of Smirnoff, the world's leading spirits brand. In these capacities, Varun was entrusted with the task of driving both the topline and bottomline growth of the brand, overseeing strategies across AboveTheLine (ATL), BelowTheLine (BTL), digital platforms, and trade channels. In his earlier marketing role with Unilever, Varun was responsible for steering innovation and communication strategies for Rexona & Sure deodorants across the entire South Asia region. Before making his foray into marketing at Unilever, Varun spent a productive three years in sales at HUL, expertly managing a region with a valuation of 800 crore. This encompassed a diverse spectrum of over 20 categories spanning home care, personal care, and foods. Varun adeptly led a formidable team of over 500 individuals, out of which 35 were HUL employees, while the rest were under thirdparty employment. His remarkable performance resulted in consistent recognition as one of the top managers at HUL for two consecutive years. Throughout his academic journey, Varun capitalized on the opportunity to collaborate with esteemed corporations like Colgate Palmolive, Havells Electric, Madura Garments, Maruti, and Nokia through internships and live projects, significantly enriching his learning curve.