NIVEA India appoints Neil George as managing director

Outgoing MD, Rakshit Hargave elevated to the position of senior vice-president, India, Sub-Sahara Africa.

NIVEA India, the subsidiary of Beiersdorf AG, Germany has appointed Neil George as the new managing director (MD) for India. He will be based out of Mumbai.

Outgoing MD, Rakshit Hargave was last year promoted to the position of senior vice-president, India, Sub Sahara Africa and head sales Beiersdorf Near East, based out of Dubai.

George comes with over 20 years of FMCG experience with P&G, Reckitt Benckiser, Diversey and in the last 5 years, been with Beiersdorf in varied senior marketing roles. After having worked in various locations starting with Delhi to Dubai, Jeddah, London, Amsterdam and Copenhagen, he now comes back to India. His last stint with Nivea was at the German multinational's Dubai office as the Vice President, in charge of Near East.

"The India I left in the late 90s and the India of today are two vastly different and rapidly evolving skincare and beauty markets", says George in a press note. "The attractive demographics of the country coupled with growing incomes of the emerging middle class and an extremely stable and reform focused Government make India one of the most exciting markets for Nivea to play. And the biggest added bonus is a well educated and ambitious pool of young Indians who will help take our relatively young company to greater heights in India".

George has recently self-published his comic book titled 'Building the Perfect Beast: What Really Happens in Brand Management'. George adds, 'The title is also about what happens to both brands and brand managers - both start life as pure, naïve beings, but end up as beasts'. A Kochi boy who studied Hotel Management in Mumbai, George holds two MBAs, one from SPJIMR, Mumbai and another from the London Business School.