As Navneet Saluja steps down after 17 years, he reflects on leading through transformation — from the Horlicks divestment to shaping Haleon’s independent identity — and the kind of leadership that lasts.
Navneet Saluja, General Manager for the India Subcontinent Business Unit
John Quincy Adams once said, “If your actions inspire others to dream more, learn more, do more and become more, you are a leader.” Few lines capture leadership as lived by Navneet Saluja. Over the past 17 years — first at GSK Consumer Healthcare and later at Haleon — he has witnessed that truth up close. He has been part of moments that reshaped not just portfolios but identities: the emotional Horlicks divestment, the unbundling from legacy systems, and the task of building Haleon’s independent presence in India.
Through those shifts, what stayed consistent was his belief that transformation is not only about new structures but also about how people move through them. The transition from GSK to Haleon was not simply corporate realignment; it was more like an exercise in keeping trust intact while everything else changed.
Now, as Saluja prepares to step away, 31st October 2025, being his last working day, his reflections are less about closure and more about continuity — of culture, of purpose, and of what it takes to build for the long term in a sector where both health and business depend on understanding people. In this conversation with BrandWagon Online, Navneet Saluja, General Manager, Haleon- Indian Subcontinent (ISC), reflects on leading through transformation, building a people-centred culture, and the changing face of India’s consumer health landscape. (Edited Excerpts)
The divestment of Horlicks was deeply personal for many of us as it was not just a strategic shift, but a moment that touched hearts. Horlicks wasn’t just a brand; it was something the team had nurtured with love, pride, and years of dedication. Naturally, there was a sense of loss for what the brand represented and the memories we had built around it.
What made the transition more complex was ensuring people felt secure, respected, and supported throughout. We had a strong culture, built on deep bonds and moving teams across companies, reshaping roles, and facing uncertainty wasn’t easy. But what I’ll always remember is how the team showed up with courage, clarity, and care for each other. They saw this as a chance to reinvent, to prove their mettle, and to keep building something meaningful. We stayed focused on what mattered- our brands, our consumers, our purpose and we grew, exponentially. It reminded us that when culture is strong and people feel seen, they can navigate anything, together.
Post-divestment, building Haleon’s independent presence in India was equally defining, a fresh chapter with renewed energy and responsibility. What grounded us through this phase was a sharpened focus on the consumer. This was when our consumer-first culture truly came alive. We became deeply invested in understanding everyday health challenges and channelled that insight into how we innovate, communicate, and show up in people’s lives.
To deliver on that promise, we needed to be closer to the market. In 2024, we made a bold shift by moving distribution in-house and stepping away from HUL’s sales network. In under 12 months, we saw accelerated sales growth, stronger profitability, and greater agility. Most importantly, it gave us direct control and responsiveness, empowering us to serve consumers better. Over the last few years, we’ve also expanded our urban reach and doubled the number of healthcare professionals we engage with, making expert-backed, everyday health more accessible than ever. Today, Haleon is among the fastest-growing FMCG companies in India; in 2024, our volume growth was nearly double the industry average.
Also Read: BrandWagon Adtalk with Haleon’s Anurita Chopra
Scaling across such culturally and economically diverse regions required us to anchor our strategy in one critical principle: start with the consumer and build from there. Whether it was in the Middle East, Turkey, or Africa, each market came with its own set of realities- different socio-economic dynamics, trade structures, pricing sensitivities, regulatory environments, and competitive contexts. But what remained consistent was our deep curiosity and commitment to understanding what people truly needed to live healthier every day.
We asked ourselves: What are the everyday health issues our consumers face in each of these geographies? How can we play a role in improving outcomes? This focus helped us not only build more relevant portfolios but also foster consumer love and trust.
Just as critical to our success was our belief in people-first. Talent and culture have been the foundation of everything we’ve done. In many ways, leading across these markets has been like building a high-performing sports team, nurturing each player to bring something unique to the table. We unlocked that potential, aligned them around a shared vision, and gave them the clarity and ownership to move with purpose.
We also knew that traditional models wouldn’t always serve us in fast-evolving, often complex environments. We embraced a zero-based mindset rethinking everything from scratch, questioning legacy assumptions, and focusing our resources where they’d drive the greatest impact. This allowed us to stay agile, lean, and relentlessly focused on high-return opportunities even when the path was unconventional.
At Haleon, health literacy has always been core to our mission. We believe healthier living is no longer a one-time fix, but an evolving lifestyle choice. It may start with addressing a specific issue, but often leads to a broader, more conscious approach to overall wellbeing. That’s where education plays a powerful role, in nudging people to take the first step. And that’s exactly what we aim to do through our portfolio of brands.
In India, awareness of simple health solutions remains low. That’s why we focus on combining education with affordability to close critical health gaps and drive real impact.
Take Sensodyne, for example- by helping consumers recognise the signs of sensitivity through the simple ‘chill test’ and demystifying it with the support of dental professionals, we’ve empowered millions to act early and more importantly, become proactive in maintaining good oral health, overall.
We’re now seeing this journey expand into nutrition. With Centrum, we’ve been raising awareness around micronutrient deficiencies, a topic that was once limited to macronutrients but is now central to conversations on daily wellness. Regular vitamin profiling and expert consultations are helping consumers meet their nutritional needs, either through supplementation or improved diet.
From rural outreach to large-scale digital screenings including our Guinness World Record oral health initiative at the Maha Kumbh, we’re not just building consumer engagement; we’re driving behaviour change. The future of consumer health lies in education, empathy, and empowering individuals to take control of their well-being.
At Haleon India, we see Oral Health, Pain & Respiratory Management, and VMS (Vitamins, Minerals & Supplements) as three essential pillars of overall wellbeing, each playing a unique role in helping people live not just longer, but healthier, more self-reliant lives.
As life expectancy in India rises, there’s been a fundamental shift in mindset. Today it is fair to say that 60 is the new 50 and increasingly, health is no longer just about treating an illness. It’s about preventing it, maintaining quality of life, and staying active for longer. This is where preventive self-care becomes crucial!
Take oral health; often underestimated, but absolutely central to ageing well. The mouth is the gateway to the body. If you lose your teeth early due to poor oral hygiene, it affects your ability to enjoy a nutritious diet, impacting overall health. Yet, 9 in 10 Indians face oral issues, and only 5% visit a dentist. Preventive dental care is not yet a habit. Sensodyne has led this shift by raising awareness about sensitivity and promoting proactive care. Through dental partnerships, the Indian Dental Association, marketing campaigns and initiatives like the ‘chill test’, we’ve made early action more mainstream. Our Rs 20 specialist care pack ensures oral health is accessible at scale.
Similarly, nutrition becomes even more critical as we age. Energy dips, micronutrient absorption changes, and the body’s needs evolve but awareness hasn’t kept pace. While 43% of Indians cite “low energy” as a top concern (Source: U&A 2023), very few understand the importance of a balanced diet or supplementation. Centrum entered to close this gap addressing widespread micronutrient deficiencies that impact 8 in 10 Indians. With simplified formats like the Rs 10 Centrum Recharge effervescent powder, we’re making it easier for people to meet their daily nutritional needs. As people age, this becomes vital not just for physical energy but for immunity, bone health, and overall vitality.
And while pain management is often reactive, we’ve modernised legacy brands like Iodex to support active, mobile lifestyles helping people stay physically engaged.
Together, these categories are helping Indians take the first step toward living not just longer but healthier.
In an industry where success is often measured in numbers, we’ve made a conscious choice to lead with people because behind every milestone, it’s the team that makes it happen. At Haleon, our culture is rooted in the belief that when you take care of people, performance follows. This isn’t just a leadership philosophy it’s how we show up every day. Whether it’s the consumers we serve or the colleagues we work alongside, our focus has always been on building meaningful relationships, grounded in empathy and trust.
I firmly believe that culture is our biggest competitive advantage. We invest time in listening, understanding what truly motivates our people, and creating an environment where they feel safe to speak up, take risks, and grow. It’s all about feeling a sense of belonging!
Some of our proudest achievements as a business have come from teams coming together with shared purpose of delivering health in more hands, backing each other through change whether it was the Horlicks divestment or celebrating wins like setting up our own sales & distribution network along the way. We actively try to create joy at work because when people feel seen, valued, and inspired, that’s when the magic happens.
India’s consumer health industry has grown steadily at high single-digit rates over the past five years and is now entering a pivotal phase. There’s a clear shift in mindset: health is no longer just about treating illness, but about living better, longer, and on one’s own terms.
Earlier generations focused on basic needs and necessities. Today’s consumers are more evolved; health-conscious, digitally connected, and increasingly prioritising energy, immunity, longevity, and mental wellbeing. In fact, 82% now consider health a key purchase driver, well ahead of the global average (Kantar TGI 2019–2022). This generational shift is unlocking new potential for the consumer healthcare segment to grow faster and more meaningfully than ever before.
Preventive healthcare is becoming the new norm, demanding products that are relevant and education that empowers. The opportunity lies in bridging awareness gaps and building a culture of everyday self-care. In alignment with India’s broader public health vision, we must focus on making quality healthcare more accessible, inclusive, and rooted in behaviour change.
At the same time, digital engagement is transforming how people interact with health. From personalised content to virtual care journeys, it’s enabling better decisions and building stronger trust. As life expectancy rises, health literacy will be critical not just to help people live longer, but to live well.
The future of consumer health in India is promising. As we look ahead, Haleon is well-positioned to lead in this dynamic market. It’s not just an opportunity but a shared responsibility for all of us in the sector to shape a healthier, more productive India.
Empower your business. Get practical tips, market insights, and growth strategies delivered to your inbox
By continuing you agree to our Privacy Policy & Terms & Conditions
