Asian Paints Appoints Leo Puri As Chairman From January 2027

Asian Paints has appointed Leo Puri as its next chairman, with the leadership change set to take effect from January 23, 2027.

The company said its board unanimously approved Puri’s appointment as an additional and independent director for a five-year term, subject to shareholder approval.

Puri’s tenure as an independent director will begin on September 7, 2026, and continue until September 6, 2031. He will assume the role of chairman after the term of current chairman R. Seshasayee ends on January 22, 2027.

Extensive corporate and financial experience

Puri is a veteran of the financial services industry with nearly four decades of experience across private equity, banking, asset management and consulting. He currently serves as Advisory India Chair at Apax, a global private equity firm.

He also holds several board positions, including chairman and independent director at Fortis Healthcare, lead independent director at Dr Reddy’s Laboratories and independent director at Madrid-based Amadeus IT Group.

Before his current roles, Puri held senior positions at leading global and domestic institutions.

He served as chairman for South and Southeast Asia at JP Morgan Chase, managing director and chief executive officer of UTI Asset Management Company, managing director and general partner at Warburg Pincus, and senior partner at McKinsey & Company.

Leadership across policy and industry bodies

Apart from corporate roles, Puri has contributed to various industry and policy initiatives.

He currently chairs the Governing Council of the Institute for Sustainability, Employment and Growth, a policy-focused organisation working with central and state governments on areas including renewable energy, smart cities and employment generation.

Puri has previously served as chairman of the Association of Mutual Funds in India (AMFI) and participated in several government and regulatory advisory committees.

Asian Paints said Puri’s appointment is part of its board succession process. His experience in financial markets, strategy and governance is expected to support the company as it continues to navigate changing market conditions and growth opportunities.

The appointment will be finalised after receiving approval from shareholders, following which Puri will take over as chairman of one of India’s largest paint manufacturers.