Chairman, CEO, Whole-time director, and Co-founder - Varun Alagh

"India's entrepreneurship landscape is at a powerful inflection point, fueled by bold, new-age founders who are reshaping industries and redefining ambition. This wave of innovation isn't just inspiring; it's shaping the next chapter of India's growth story." 

Varun Alagh is the Chief Executive Officer of Honasa Consumer Ltd., India's largest digital-first beauty and personal care (BPC) company. With over 16 years of experience across leading FMCG companies including Hindustan Unilever, Diageo, and Coca-Cola.

Varun brings deep expertise in brand building, marketing, and business strategy to his role. He holds a Bachelor's degree in Electrical Engineering from Delhi College of Engineering (now Delhi Technological University) and a PGDBM in Finance and Marketing from XLRI, Jamshedpur. Varun co-founded Honasa in 2016 with Ghazal Alagh, his wife, with a vision to create purpose-driven, digital-first brands for the modern Indian consumer.

Varun Alagh, is the Chief Executive Officer of Honasa Consumer Ltd., India’s largest digital-first beauty and personal care (BPC) company. With nearly two decades of experience across leading global FMCG organisations including Hindustan Unilever, Diageo, and Coca-Cola. Varun brings deep expertise in brand building, marketing leadership, and business strategy.

He holds a Bachelor’s degree in Electrical Engineering from Delhi Technological University and a Master’s degree in Finance and Marketing from XLRI, Jamshedpur. In 2016, Varun co-founded Honasa with his wife, Ghazal Alagh, driven by a vision to build purpose-driven, digital-first brands tailored to the evolving needs of modern Indian consumers.

Building a House of Purpose-Driven Brands

Under Varun’s leadership, Honasa has scaled from its flagship brand, Mamaearth, into a robust House of Brands with a diversified and category-defining portfolio. Today, Honasa’s ecosystem includes The Derma Co., Aqualogica, BBlunt. Dr Sheth’s, Staze Beauty, and most recently Luminéve—each built on a distinct value proposition, deep consumer insight, and a clearly defined role within the broader Honasa portfolio.

Varun has been instrumental in building Honasa’s repeatable brand-building playbooks, anchored in consumer-centric innovation, digital-first distribution, and data-driven marketing. These scalable frameworks have enabled Honasa to launch and rapidly scale multiple new-age brands, with several—including The Derma Co., Aqualogica, Dr. Sheth’s, and BBlunt—Scaling each of the brands to an annual revenue run rate of ₹100 crore within two years of inception.

Widely regarded as a thought leader in India’s new-age consumer ecosystem, Varun continues to champion purpose-led growth, innovation at scale, and long-term value creation—positioning Honasa at the forefront of India’s beauty and personal care transformation. 

Varun's strategic vision has driven several landmark achievements for Honasa Consumer

Unicorn

First Unicorn of 2022

In January 2022, Honasa became India's first unicorn of the year, raising $52 million led by Sequoia at a valuation of $1.2 billion - a testament to the company's rapid growth trajectory and market leadership.

IPO

Successful IPO

In November 2023, Varun led Honasa through its initial public offering, which was oversubscribed 7.61 times. The IPO opened on October 31, 2023, and closed on November 2, 2023, with shares listing on both BSE and NSE on November 7, 2023. At listing, the company's market capitalization stood at approximately Rs 10,425 crore, making Honasa one of the youngest companies to go public in India and the youngest Indian unicorn to list at the time.

Brand Outlet

100th EBO Milestone

In January 2024, Mamaearth celebrated the opening of its 100th Exclusive Brand Outlet (EBO) at R-City Mall in Mumbai, marking a significant milestone in the brand's omnichannel expansion strategy. This achievement - accomplished in just under three years since opening the first store in early 2021 - reflects Honasa's commitment to building deep consumer connections through immersive retail experiences.

Under Varun's leadership, Honasa has built one of India's most robust omnichannel distribution networks in the beauty and personal care space. Today, the company's products are available across:

100k+

FMCG retail outlets

spanning traditional trade, modern trade, and exclusive stores

18K+

Pin codes

in 700+ districts across India

100+

exclusive brand outlets

creating premium brand experiences

Leading e-commerce platforms and Honasa's own direct-to-consumer channels

This extensive reach ensures that Honasa's purpose-driven brands are accessible to consumers across urban and emerging markets, reinforcing the company's commitment to democratizing quality beauty and personal care products.

Varun’s leadership

is characterized by a consumer-centric approach, data-driven decision-making, and a commitment to purpose-led growth. He believes in building brands that solve real consumer problems while creating positive impact. This philosophy is evident in initiatives like Aqualogica's "Water for All" campaign, which has provided clean drinking water to over 10,000 people across 10 adopted villages.

Speaking about the company's growth trajectory, Varun has emphasized: "We have been on a constant quest to become a company that is the first choice of evolving Indian millennials and GenZ in the beauty and personal care segment. We have built playbooks that have been created to launch and scale brands, and these playbooks are showing results with every new brand that we launch."

Varun's entrepreneurial journey and leadership have earned him significant recognition

Featured in Economic Times' 40 Under 40
Recognized in Forbes' Tycoons of Tomorrow
Shark Tank India Season 5: In January 2026, Varun joined Shark Tank India as one of the Sharks for Season 5 on Sony Entertainment Television, where he brings his expertise in digital-first brand building to mentor and guide the next generation of Indian entrepreneurs.
Prominent voice in India's consumer brand landscape and digital-first business models

His journey from brand builder at MNC giants to co-founding India's largest digital-first BPC company represents a masterclass in entrepreneurial innovation, digital agility, and scalable growth.

Under Varun’s leadership, the company is focused on strengthening its position across all brands, expanding into new categories including men's grooming and prestige segments, and building deeper connections with consumers through innovation and purpose-driven initiatives. With a clear vision to scale its "House of Purposeful Brands" and drive sustainable, profitable growth, Varun is positioning Honasa to be a defining force in India's beauty and personal care industry for years to come.

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