Mars Appoints Manish Syag as Managing Director for Pet Nutrition Business in India

Mars, Incorporated has appointed Manish Syag as Managing Director of its Pet Nutrition division in India. He succeeds Salil Murthy, who has been elevated to the role of Global Vice President, Enterprise Transformation, Mars Pet Nutrition, and will be based in London.

In his new role, Syag will lead the India business, home to some of the country’s most trusted pet food brands including PEDIGREE, WHISKAS and SHEBA. He will spearhead the India Growth Agenda, strengthen operational capabilities, and deepen Mars’ leadership in one of the fastest emerging FMCG categories in the country.

Syag brings over two decades of FMCG leadership experience, having held senior sales roles at Hindustan Unilever Limited and GSK Consumer Healthcare. An alumnus of IIM Lucknow, he joined Mars in 2024 as Chief Sales Officer and has since played a pivotal role in shaping the next phase of growth for the India pet nutrition business.

Commenting on his appointment, Syag said India is at a defining moment for the pet food market, which is expected to grow into a USD 2 billion category over the next decade. He highlighted that the category is evolving much like mainstream FMCG did in its early growth years, driven by access, awareness and trust. He added that strengthening the portfolio of trusted brands and expanding market presence will remain central to the company’s growth journey, guided by the Mars Five Principles and its purpose of creating “A Better World For Pets.”

Salil Murthy, who previously led the India Pet Nutrition business, will now focus on advancing the global transformation agenda for Mars Pet Nutrition. In his new global role, he will drive leadership and organisational capability, accelerate digital and AI initiatives, and build a simpler, faster and more future-ready operating model. He described leading the India business as deeply fulfilling and expressed confidence in Syag’s ability to guide the next phase of growth.

Francisco Fernandez, Regional President, Mars Pet Nutrition – Rapid Growth Markets, noted that India remains one of the most important growth markets for the company. He said the leadership transitions reflect the strength of the purpose-led business built in India and Mars’ commitment to developing leaders from within while strengthening India’s role in its global strategy.

Mars Pet Nutrition has been present in India since 2002 with the launch of PEDIGREE and established the country’s first pet food manufacturing facility in 2007. Today, the company serves millions of pets and pet parents across India with a portfolio of trusted, high-quality products for both dogs and cats.