Co-founder and Chief Innovation Officer, Honasa Consumer Ltd - Ghazal Alagh

"The biggest threat to long-term growth isn't losing consumers. It's allowing your product roadmap to be entirely defined by the needs of your past growth cycle. Your current best consumers got you here. Your future consumers will fuel your next stage of growth."

Ghazal Alagh is the Co-founder and Chief Innovation Officer of Honasa Consumer Ltd., India's largest digital-first beauty and personal care (BPC) company. She holds a Bachelor's in Information Technology and specialized in Modern Art and Design from the New York Academy of Arts.

A corporate trainer turned artist-cum-entrepreneur, she co-founded Honasa in 2016 with her husband, Varun Alagh. Driven by a passion for making early parenting stress-free and a desire for safe, toxin-free products for their child and children of India, she co-created Honasa with a vision to build purpose-driven, innovative brands for the modern Indian consumer.

Building a House of Purpose-Driven Brands

Since its inception, Ghazal has been the driving force behind innovation, community, and new brand development at Honasa. She led the conception of Mamaearth, Asia's first MADE SAFE-certified brand, and subsequently the development of other brands like The Derma Co., Aqualogica, Bblunt, Dr. Sheth's, and Staze Beauty. The entire portfolio is built on solving specific consumer needs with innovative, purpose-led solutions. Ghazal's role is deeply consumer-centric: she works closely with a large network of consumers and communities who are pivotal in the product development lifecycle and innovation strategy. She focuses on translating real consumer concerns into differentiated value propositions across the House of Brands. Her overarching vision is to make the world a better place through purpose-driven brands.

Our Brands & Businesses

Ghazal's focus on product innovation and purpose has been foundational to Honasa Consumer's rapid trajectory and landmark achievements:

Unicorn

First Unicorn of 2022

As co-founder, she helped Honasa become India's first unicorn of the year in January 2022, achieving a valuation of $1.2 billion.

IPO

Successful IPO

She was part of the core leadership team that executed Honasa's initial public offering (IPO) in November 2023. The successful listing on both BSE and NSE cemented Honasa's position as one of the youngest Indian unicorns to go public.

As Chief Innovation Officer, Ghazal ensures that innovation at Honasa is powered by consumer-centric insights. This approach is evident in the rapid scaling of brands like Aqualogica, which successfully tapped into a specific hydration need in the market.

Product Conceptualization:

Leading the development of new product lines across skincare, haircare, and personal care.

Community Managements:

Building a strong, engaged community (especially mom-communities) that provides real-time feedback crucial for fast product iteration and market fit.

Purpose-Led Design:

Ensuring every brand, like Mamaearth's Plastic Positive initiative or Aqualogica's campaigns, adheres to a social or environmental purpose.

Ghazal’s leadership

Ghazal's leadership is characterized by a unique blend of creative thinking from her background as an artist and structured problem-solving from her training in technology. She champions a culture that prioritizes action and learning over perfectionism. She is identified as an inspiration, having transitioned successfully from a corporate trainer and artist to a leading entrepreneur.

Ghazal's entrepreneurial journey and leadership have earned her significant recognition across the business and media landscape:

Shark Tank India Season 1: Appeared as one of the pioneering judges ("Sharks") on the inaugural season of the popular business reality show, mentoring India's next generation of entrepreneurs.
Top Business Leader: Recognized in prestigious lists including Forbes Asia’s Power Businesswomen (2022), Fortune Most Powerful Women in Business (2023 & 2022), Business Today: Most Powerful Women (2024), and ET 40 under 40.
Recognized among the top 10 women artists in India and holds credentials in both Information Technology and Fine Arts.

Her journey is a masterclass in leveraging personal purpose and community insight to build a scalable, digital-first "House of Brands" in a competitive industry.