Birla Opus CEO Rakshit Hargave Resigns to Head Britannia

Rakshit Hargave, known for steering Birla Opus into India’s decorative paints sector, has exited his CEO role to lead FMCG giant Britannia Industries Limited. With effect from December 15, 2025, he will take the helm at Britannia, succeeding Rajneet Kohli.

Rakshit Hargave’s Transition from Paints to FMCG

Rakshit Hargave stepped down as CEO of Birla Opus effective November 1, 2025, after less than 1 year at the helm, to lead Britannia as its new CEO. A seasoned business leader and IIT-BHU and FMS Delhi alumnus, Hargave has decades of experience across notable companies, including Unilever, Domino’s Pizza, Nivea, and Nestlé. 

Hargave was instrumental in launching and scaling Birla Opus, the Aditya Birla Group-backed decorative paints brand that entered the space in 2024 with an assertive strategy to challenge market leaders.

Birla Opus Growth Under Hargave

During his tenure, Hargave led Birla Opus’s initial growth phase, setting up 6 manufacturing units across Maharashtra, Haryana, Punjab, Karnataka, Tamil Nadu and West Bengal. These facilities brought the company’s annual capacity to 1,332 million litres, securing 24% of the nation's decorative paints manufacturing capacity. By September 2025, the company had invested ₹9,727 crore out of its committed ₹10,000 crore capex plan.

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Shift in Leadership at Birla Opus

Following Hargave’s departure, Himanshu Kapania, Managing Director at Grasim Industries – Birla Opus’s parent firm, will oversee operations until a new CEO is appointed. The company has also quickly expanded its distribution network, reaching around 50,000 dealers in over 8,000 towns within 17 months, now focusing on deepening its market penetration and increasing counter-sales efficiency.

Britannia’s New Chapter

Hargave fills the top position at Britannia after a 7-month vacancy. Rajneet Kohli, the previous CEO, left the role in May 2025. Since then, Vice Chairman and Managing Director Varun Berry has served as interim CEO. Hargave’s appointment is set to drive Britannia’s next growth phase across bakery and FMCG verticals.

Conclusion

Rakshit Hargave’s move marks a pivotal moment for both Birla Opus and Britannia. His achievements in scaling a new entrant into a major player in paints provide a compelling signal of the transformative leadership he is expected to bring to Britannia.

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