Sharad Malhotra MD of Nippon Paint India

New Delhi, Nov 10 (PTI) Japan's Nippon Paint Holdings arm, NIPSEA Group, on Monday announced the appointment of Sharad Malhotra as Managing Director of Nippon Paint India, effective December 1, 2025, making him the first Indian to occupy the position in the company.

Malhotra will succeed Jon Tan as Managing Director, reporting to the Group's CEO, Wee Siew Kim, the company said in a statement.

He becomes the first Indian to be appointed to this position in the company and will be responsible for driving the overall direction and strategy of India Group, it added.

Malhotra will continue to spearhead Nippon Paint's global foray into the automotive aftermarket business, a category that he has led since inception, the statement said.

"Sharad has successfully led and charted a strong growth path for our auto refinish business globally, while being based in India. His proven ability to deliver results, deep understanding of our business, and commitment to excellence make him ideally suited to lead our India operations through the next phase of growth," Nippon Paint Holdings Co-President Group CEO, NIPSEA Group, Wee Siew Kim said.

Stating that India is a key market for Nippon Paint with its large, young population, rapid economic growth, and vast consumer base, the company said, "With a favorable business environment, skilled workforce and expanding infrastructure, Nippon Paint sees strong reasons to focus on the Indian market.