New Delhi: Nippon Paint India has elevated Jenender Anand to the role of vice-president of its automotive refinish business, underscoring a strategic focus on strengthening leadership depth and accelerating growth in the automotive coatings segment.
In his new role, Anand will oversee the automotive refinish portfolio, including operations in India, Nepal and the IndoKote business line, providing strategic direction, governance and performance oversight across these geographies. He will report to Sharad Malhotra, Managing Director of Nippon Paint India Group.
The appointment reflects Nippon Paint’s intent to reinforce its competitive positioning in both B2B and aftermarket channels that support vehicle repair, maintenance and refurbishment — a segment benefiting from India’s improving automotive volumes and fleet utilisation. Refinish coatings play a critical upstream role in preserving vehicle surfaces and extending asset lifecycles, aligning with sustainability goals by reducing waste and lifecycle impacts from frequent repainting.
Anand brings over three decades of cross-sector experience, including senior roles in automotive and industrial ecosystems, with background at companies such as ExxonMobil Lubricants India, Goodyear India and MRF Tyres. Industry analysts say his expertise in stakeholder engagement, multi-channel distribution and market development could help Nippon Paint capture deeper share in the competitive automotive coatings market.
The leadership change is part of a broader organisational shift at Nippon Paint India, which has been refining its operating model to prioritise pan-India growth and cohesive business segmentation. Earlier moves included key appointments across decorative and industrial divisions, aimed at scaling both the consumer-facing and specialised coatings businesses.
The company’s strategic focus on leadership continuity and depth comes amid rising demand for sustainable coatings solutions, including low-VOC formulations and durable finishes, which are increasingly sought after in commercial construction, transit fleets and aftermarket services as urbanisation and mobility infrastructure expand across the region.