On January 1, 2026, Shailesh Jejurikar will take over as President and Chief Executive Officer of Procter & Gamble (P&G), succeeding Jon Moeller. Based in the United States, P&G is a global leader in consumer goods, known for brands such as Tide, Ariel, Pampers, Gillette, and Head & Shoulders. Jejurikar’s appointment is a milestone for the company and a moment of pride for Indian-origin professionals on the global stage.From a young man in Mumbai to the first India-born leader of a company that serves billions of consumers worldwide, Jejurikar’s journey is a case study in how education, consistency, and global curiosity can converge over decades to shape world-class leadership.
From Mumbai to IIM Lucknow: Jejurikar’s early education
Born in Mumbai, Jejurikar began his academic journey at Mumbai University, where he pursued a Bachelor of Arts in Economics. At a time when Indian higher education was largely focused on theoretical learning, he used this foundation to build analytical depth and economic awareness. These were the very skills that would later define his strategic contributions to one of the world’s most iconic consumer goods companies.However, it was at the Indian Institute of Management Lucknow, where he earned his Post Graduate Programme in Management (Master of Business Administration) in 1989, that his business acumen was sharpened. As part of one of the early batches of IIM Lucknow, he emerged from a relatively young institution with a mindset geared towards scale, systems thinking, and organisational impact. This dual education, first in liberal economics and then in structured business leadership, offered a balance of insight and execution that would remain a hallmark of his rise through the ranks at P&G.
Jejurikar’s path to global markets
Jejurikar joined Procter & Gamble in July 1989 as an Assistant Brand Manager for Personal Health Care in India. In the corporate world, few careers have the kind of uninterrupted trajectory that his does. From managing skin care brands in India in the early 1990s to holding marketing and director-level roles across East Africa, Kenya, and later Asia-Pacific, he steadily grew into regional and global leadership roles. At every stage, his education translated into more than just managerial capability. It allowed him to navigate diverse markets with cultural intelligence and business foresight.Between 1996 and 2008, he served in a series of leadership roles across continents. From Marketing Director in India to Vice President roles in the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), Australia, and Korea-Singapore markets, Jejurikar was repeatedly entrusted with expanding business in developing regions. Each role demanded not only marketing strategy but also cross-border operational judgment and team-building. These were a direct result of the leadership foundations laid during his time at IIM Lucknow.
Leading with scale and vision
The transition from regional to global leadership came in 2010 when he was appointed Vice President for Home Care, North America, and Brand Franchise Leader for Surface Care. Over the next few years, he took on roles that included President of Fabric Care for North America and head of Global Fabric and Home Care Brand Building. These roles placed him at the center of P&G’s innovation pipeline, especially in product categories like Tide, Ariel, Downy, Gain, and Febreze. These brands represent nearly a third of the company’s total sales and net earnings.His most defining leadership chapter began in 2019 when he was appointed Chief Executive Officer of Global Fabric and Home Care and also named Executive Sponsor for Global Sustainability. These dual responsibilities reflected the company’s trust in his ability to align business growth with environmental and social accountability. By 2021, he rose to the position of Chief Operating Officer with profit and loss responsibilities for Enterprise Markets across Latin America, India, the Middle East, Africa, Southeast Asia, and Eastern Europe. He also oversaw global operations in information technology, sales, distribution, manufacturing, and new business creation.
A blueprint for future leaders
Even at the executive level, Jejurikar remained committed to the principles that shaped his education. These included a focus on impact, stakeholder value, and innovation. His leadership has consistently been marked by the ability to identify growth possibilities by understanding consumer needs in new, better, and more complete ways. These values, shaped early in his academic and professional life, guided his decisions in transforming not just brands but also business models, supply chains, and global team culture.As he prepares to take on the role of President and Chief Executive Officer of P&G, he stands as a symbol of what India’s management education can produce at the highest level of global enterprise. His journey from Mumbai University and Indian Institute of Management Lucknow to the boardrooms of Cincinnati is not just a tale of professional ascent. It is a reminder that academic grounding, when paired with long-term vision, can shape leaders for decades to come.For students aspiring to lead global businesses, Jejurikar’s story offers both inspiration and a blueprint. Invest in your learning, and never underestimate the power of adaptability rooted in strong fundamentals.TOI Education is on WhatsApp now. Follow us here.
