Amazon, Unilever veteran Manish Tiwary set to become Nestle India MD

Since 2013, Amazon has invested around $6.5 billion in the e-commerce business in India

Nestlé India, the local arm of Swiss food and beverage major Nestlé, has announced the nomination of former Amazon country head Manish Tiwary (pictured) as its new managing director, effective August 1, 2025. This transition comes as the current chairman and managing director, Suresh Narayanan, prepares to retire after a 26-year tenure with the Nestlé group. His name as Nestlé India head has been proposed by the parent group, Nestlé  SA, and the proposal is subject to necessary approvals.

Tiwary brings nearly three decades of diverse experience to the role, currently serving as a director at Amazon Digital Services and More Consumer Brands. He is set to step down from this position on October 30; earlier, he had a successful stint as country manager at Amazon India.

Before joining the e-commerce giant in 2016, Tiwary spent two decades at fast-moving consumer goods powerhouse Unilever, where he held various roles in sales, marketing, and general management across multiple regions, including India, the Gulf, and North Africa, according to a stock exchange filing by Nestlé India.

Under Tiwary’s stewardship, Amazon evolved into more than just a shopping platform for Indian consumers. Since its launch in India in 2013 with a mere 100 sellers, the firm has expanded its marketplace to include over 1.2 million sellers nationwide. Its strategy focuses on vernacular language support and voice-based shopping, aiming to engage the next 500 million users primarily residing in the smaller towns and cities of India.

In addition to its core e-commerce offerings, Amazon, under his watch, diversified its services by launching miniTV, a free, ad-supported video streaming platform catering to users seeking short films.

Under Tiwary’s guidance, the company  said it had digitised over 6.2 million micro, small, and medium enterprises (MSMEs) and facilitated close to $8 billion in cumulative e-commerce exports. 

According to industry experts, Tiwary’s solid FMCG background, cultivated during his time at Unilever, complements his deep understanding of e-commerce dynamics in India. Nestlé India's annual report reveals that its sales contribution from e-commerce reached 6.8 per cent in the fifteen-month financial year ended March 31, 2024 (this period marked a shift in the company's financial reporting from a January-December cycle to an April-March schedule, resulting in a five-quarter financial year). The report also highlights the accelerating growth of Nestlé India's e-commerce business, particularly in quick commerce and click-and-mortar strategies, driven by popular brands such as KitKat and Maggi Noodles.

An industry source remarked that while Nestlé India operates at a steady pace, Tiwary possesses the energy and vision necessary to instigate meaningful disruption within the system. 

His capabilities in enhancing distribution channels, increasing e-commerce penetration, and expediting market responsiveness could redefine the trajectory of the iconic KitKat maker.

Sachin Bobade, vice-president at Dolat Capital, noted that Nestlé is adopting a strategy similar to other FMCG companies by appointing a leader with a background from Unilever. He highlighted recent trends, pointing out that Godrej Consumer Products appointed Sudhir Sitapati from Hindustan Unilever as its managing director and CEO, while Colgate-Palmolive India brought in Prabha Narasimhan for the same role to guide the company.

A fitness enthusiast, Tiwary is known for his unwavering commitment to his morning runs, regardless of the weather, often clocking in at least 5 kilometres in his Hoka Mach 5 shoes. This same resilience and drive have characterised his leadership at Amazon India, where he oversaw daily operations in a company that employs thousands across the country.