An in-depth feature on Gaurav Anand, Chief Digital & Marketing Officer at L’Oréal India, exploring his global career journey, brand transformations, digital leadership, and the future of beauty marketing in India.

Introduction

The world of marketing is in the middle of a seismic transformation. Consumer expectations are evolving faster than ever, digital technologies are rewriting the rules of engagement, and brands are being challenged to balance profitability with purpose. At the heart of this revolution are marketing leaders who don’t just keep pace with change but actively drive it.

One such leader is Gaurav Anand, the Chief Digital & Marketing Officer at L’Oréal India. With a career spanning nearly two decades across Procter & Gamble, Facebook, PepsiCo, and now L’Oréal, Gaurav has built expertise in brand turnarounds, market entry strategies, sales leadership, and digital transformation.

What makes his story remarkable is not just the scale of brands he’s worked with, but the consistency with which he has turned consumer passion into disruptive growth. From relaunching brands in Europe, to accelerating mobile-first advertising in Southeast Asia, to transforming beauty marketing in India, Gaurav’s career is a blueprint for future-ready leadership.

Early Years: Building Strong Foundations at P&G

Gaurav began his career at Procter & Gamble, where he spent more than six years working across categories and geographies. His early role as Country Business Delivery Leader for Air Fresheners in the UK & Ireland was a test in brand turnaround.

The Febreze brand, which had stagnated, needed a spark. By introducing a scent extension strategy and creating “scent camps” in leading retailers, Gaurav managed to grow the business +30% above expectations. The initiative not only won Product of the Year UK in 2010 but was later replicated in Japan and the US.

He also played a key role in reviving Ambipur in the UK, which had suffered years of decline. Through a mix of portfolio management, creative launches, and strong retailer negotiations, Ambipur grew in its very first year under P&G ownership—a first in the company’s acquisition history.

This early success taught him an invaluable lesson: marketing is as much about business strategy as it is about creativity.

Expanding Horizons: Luxury Skincare and Global Market Entries

After mastering FMCG, Gaurav took on a global role with SK-II, P&G’s premium skincare brand. Based in Singapore, he drove digital brand management and new market development across Japan, Korea, Australia, India, UAE, and beyond.

Some of his achievements included:

• Launching SK-II e-stores in Korea and the US, delivering 4% incremental sales at 3X profitability.

• Redesigning the brand’s social media strategy, creating a new visual identity and tone of voice that drove both trial and repeat purchase.

• Leading new market entries into Dubai and India, overseeing everything from trademark approvals to customer negotiations and marketing launches.

• Partnering with wedding planners, spas, and gyms in new markets to acquire targeted consumers—especially “to-be brides”—where mass marketing was inefficient.

• Driving 36% growth in Australia and 12% in the US, by tailoring marketing to local cultural contexts.

Here, Gaurav mastered the art of premium brand-building—balancing exclusivity with accessibility, and leveraging digital as a growth engine.

The Facebook Years: Driving Digital Adoption Across Asia

In 2015, Gaurav joined Facebook (Meta) in Singapore, at a time when Southeast Asia was emerging as one of the world’s most mobile-first regions.

As Sales Lead for FMCG in SEA and later Sales Head for Indonesia, he worked with the world’s top advertisers to shift their media strategies toward digital. His contributions included:

• Tripling the share of Facebook in the media mix of leading FMCG advertisers.

• Developing mobile-first creative frameworks that helped brands unlock the full potential of video advertising.

• Designing a TV + Digital planning tool that optimized reach, frequency, and cost efficiency across platforms.

• Building scalable adoption models for both digital-savvy and traditional clients, ensuring relevance across diverse markets.

In Indonesia, he led a team of marketing and media experts to accelerate adoption in the world’s largest mobile-first country. His success earned recognition through awards like Facebook’s Customer at Core and Power of Partnership.

This period deepened his expertise in digital media, consumer insights, and scaling new advertising ecosystems—skills that would prove crucial in his later roles.

PepsiCo: Strategy, Sales, and Retail Innovation in Europe

In 2018, Gaurav transitioned to PepsiCo Europe, where he took on leadership roles across Central Europe and Geneva.

As Head of Food Business in Central Europe, he managed P&L responsibilities and developed strategies for sustainable growth. Later, as Head of Sales Channel Strategy for Europe, he focused on the fastest-growing retail channel: discounters.

Here, his work spanned:

• Future-ready supply chain development.

• Retailer management and trade execution.

• Building sales capability across teams and markets.

This role broadened his leadership beyond marketing, cementing his ability to manage business strategy, supply chains, and large-scale sales functions.

Leading Digital & Marketing at L’Oréal India

In September 2021, Gaurav returned to India to take on one of his most exciting challenges yet—Chief Digital & Marketing Officer at L’Oréal India.

The beauty industry is at the forefront of digital transformation, and L’Oréal has been pioneering beauty-tech innovations globally. At L’Oréal India, Gaurav’s role brings together consumer insights, media, data, technology, and commerce to deliver next-level consumer experiences.

Some key priorities under his leadership include:

• E-commerce acceleration: Integrating L’Oréal’s portfolio across online platforms and ensuring a seamless omnichannel experience.

• Personalization: Using data and AI to customize recommendations, loyalty programs, and marketing journeys.

• Beauty-tech innovations: Expanding tools like AI-powered skin diagnostics and AR virtual try-ons, giving consumers interactive experiences before they buy.

• Influencer and community marketing: Connecting deeply with India’s millennial and Gen-Z consumers, who demand both authenticity and innovation.

• Purpose-driven branding: Aligning campaigns with L’Oréal’s sustainability and inclusivity commitments.

At L’Oréal India, marketing is not just about selling beauty products—it’s about reshaping how beauty is experienced in the digital age.

The Future of Marketing: Gaurav’s Perspective

Through his global journey, Gaurav has developed a sharp view of where marketing is headed. Some of the trends he sees as defining the next decade include:

1. Hyper-Personalization: Brands will leverage AI and data to craft experiences unique to each consumer.

2. Immersive Experiences: AR, VR, and Web3 will redefine consumer engagement.

3. Purpose at the Core: Brands that stand for sustainability, diversity, and authenticity will earn loyalty.

4. Omnichannel Commerce: Online and offline retail will merge into seamless ecosystems.

5. Agility and Speed: Marketing strategies will need to adapt in real-time to cultural and behavioral shifts.

For him, marketing is no longer about campaigns—it’s about ecosystems, platforms, and communities.

Lessons for the Next Generation of Marketers

Gaurav’s story is rich with lessons for young professionals:

• Be adaptable. Markets, technologies, and platforms will change—stay curious and flexible.

• Think global, act local. Every market has its cultural nuances; success lies in balancing global strategy with local relevance.

• Balance data with creativity. Numbers can guide decisions, but storytelling creates impact.

• Focus on people. Whether it’s motivating millennials, negotiating with retailers, or leading teams, people are at the heart of business.

• Chase growth, not comfort. Each of his career moves—from India to Singapore to Geneva and back—was about taking on bigger challenges.

Closing Thoughts

From reviving FMCG brands at P&G, to accelerating mobile-first adoption at Facebook, to driving retail strategy at PepsiCo, and now leading digital transformation at L’Oréal India, Gaurav Anand’s journey is a masterclass in modern marketing leadership.

His career underscores a powerful truth: while platforms and technologies will continue to evolve, the essence of marketing—understanding people, their passions, and their motivations—remains timeless.

At BrandSnug, we celebrate leaders like Gaurav who are shaping industries, inspiring teams, and driving the future of consumer engagement. For aspiring marketers, his journey is both a roadmap and a reminder: the future belongs to those who stay curious, embrace change, and never stop innovating.