Leo Puri Named Chairman-Designate of Asian Paints to Lead Amid Intensifying Competition

Asian Paints has named Leo Puri as its chairman-designate, who will take over from R. Seshasayee in January 2027. Puri's five-year board term ends in September 2031.

Puri brings extensive experience from India's financial sector, having held senior roles at JPMorgan Chase, UTI Asset Management, and Warburg Pincus. He currently serves as the India advisory chair at Apax and chairman of Fortis Healthcare.

The leadership transition comes at a challenging time for Asian Paints, which is facing increasing competition from new entrants and well-funded conglomerates like Aditya Birla Group and JSW Group.