Kedar Lele

Captain
DISC Type : DS

President - South Asia at Haleon

Mumbai, Maharashtra, India

Overview

Kedar Lele is the President for the India Subcontinent at Haleon, bringing over 25 years of leadership from iconic companies like Unilever and Castrol. An alumnus of the Indian School of Business and MICA, he is recognized for building brands and driving growth. Colleagues describe him as strategic, inspiring, and exceptionally well-rounded.

Outside of his corporate roles, Kedar is passionate about fostering new talent and ideas as an active mentor and investor in technology-driven startups. He has publicly shared his belief that self-care is essential for effective leadership, emphasizing the need to nurture oneself in order to successfully support others.

Kedars career is uniquely diverse, spanning advertising, internet companies, FMCG, automotive lubricants, and now consumer healthcare.

Personality Overview

Planner & Achiever

Decisive But Calm

Long-Term Thinker

They might take some time to make their mind up but once they do, they don't change it easily.  They exhibit a rare combination of being result-oriented but patient at the same time. Reading between the lines and seeing beyond your words comes naturally to them.

Topics They Care About

Consumer Healthcare
At Haleon, he is focused on delivering "better everyday health with humanity" by growing iconic brands like Sensodyne, Crocin, and ENO across the Indian subcontinent.
Leadership & Mentorship
He is described as an inspiring leader who is passionate about bringing others along in their careers. He actively identifies as a mentor and investor in startups.
Building Iconic Brands
A core theme throughout his 25+ year career, from his two decades shaping major brands at Unilever to his leadership roles at Castrol and now Haleon.

Media Appearances

Haleon announces appointment of Kedar Lele as President for India Subcontinent. Featured in The Hindu Business Line

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Haleon Appoints Former Castrol MD Kedar Lele as India Subcontinent President. Featured in Economic Times

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Haleon names Kedar Lele president for India Subcontinent. Featured in Economic Times – Brand Equity

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Work History

1-2026
President - South Asia at Haleon
9-2024 - 12-2025
Managing Director - Castrol India, Vice President - South Asia. at Castrol
7-2021 - 8-2024
Executive Director - HUL, Head of Customer Development, South Asia at Unilever
1-2018 - 6-2021
Chairman & Managing Director at Unilever
6-2017 - 12-2017
Chief Operating Officer at Unilever

Education

MBA from Indian School of Business
PGDCA from MICA | The School of Ideas

More Information

Social Presence :

Prographics :

Exp : 14 Location : Mumbai, Maharashtra, India Job Level : N/A Designation : President - South Asia at Haleon
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Insights For Selling To Kedar

During A Call Or A Meeting

DO's

  • You can spend time on BANT (or other qualification methodology) but keep it to the point
  • Suggest clear next steps with confidence, don't be vague or hesitant
  • Come across as a trustworthy professional and be respectful, they usually know their game

DONT's

  • Don't go over them unless you are left with no other option
  • Don't focus too much on mutual contacts or bother about other stakeholders, focus on them
  • Avoid putting conscious effort into relationship-building

When Cold Calling

When Writing An Email

While Negotiating & Closing

    The secret to closing fast with Kedar is

  • Strong proof of impact and their conviction will matter the most, but they wouldn't want to act unilaterally either
  • Will you ever get a clear answer from Kedar

  • They will say no if they are not convinced but you will have to prompt them.

Insights For Deal Planning

    How fast (or slow) will Kedar move?

  • They will want to understand things well but can move fast once they have a clear picture.
  • Can Kedar take some risk or not?

  • They have good risk tolerance but are likely to think it through once or twice.

You And Kedar

Personality Compatibility


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