With 25 years of experience across different facets of the FMCG sector, Manish Chhabra is a reputed corporate leader. Presently, he serves as the MD and CEO of Hygienic Research Institute Pvt. Ltd (HRIPL), India’s fastest growing manufacturer and marketer of premium beauty products. In this role, he leads the overall planning and execution for the company with core emphasis on Sales, Finance, Purchase, HR, and Operations management.
Since 1991, when he started his career as a floor chemist, Manish made it his mission to learn the ropes of the industry. From a supervisor of 22 workers to leading a company with over 2300 employees, he has pioneered the unique success story of HRIPL in the Indian haircare industry. Manish’s sense of timing, go-to market strategy and idea of introducing various brands and division has helped HRIPL grow from 1.5 Crores to 600+ Crores in turnover.
Under Manish’s vision, HRIPL launched products that would go on to changing the status quo in the market. Store shelves across the country were acquainted with a whole new range of Super Vasmol 33 Kesh Kala, which is being endorsed by Bollywood actress Kajol who is the brand ambassador.
With his strong vision, strategic goals, and determination, HRIPL’s flagship product Vasmol reached a matchless position in the emulsion-based dye segment, securing a market share of 95% in the Kesh Kala category. Manish’s foresight on the potential growth of the hair colour segment, matched with the aspiration to provide affordable styling products for the masses, gave birth to ‘Streax Hair Color’ in the year 2005-06. Today, it is one of the most popular hair colour brands in India. Bollywood actress Sonakshi Sinha presently endorses the entire Streax product range.
Manish ensured no stone remained unturned in his mission to take Streax to the top. To follow his vision, Streax Professional Division was launched in the year 2008-09, which helped HRIPL to strengthen its position in the professional beauty industry. Presently, it is endorsed by Bollywood actress Vaani Kapoor. Till date, Streax Professional has added around 35,000 salons in its network and is growing at CAGR of 28% YoY. Another step to create a strong footprint for HRIPL in the cosmetics industry was achieved with strategic management alliances with five leading international companies.
Manish has won Asia’s most promising leader award at ‘Asia’s Most Promising Leadership Summit’ held in Dubai in 2013. He has also been recognised as the ‘Economic Times Business Icon – Revolutionary Leader’ in the Haircare Industry in 2020.
Under his leadership, Streax has won several accolades including Asia’s Most Promising Brand (Asia’s Most Promising Leadership Summit 2013) and was recognised as one of the Best Brands by Economic Times (2019). HRIPL won “Best Employer Brand Award 2019” at the 14th India’s Human Capital Summit and is recognized amongst India’s Top 30 – Best Workplaces in Manufacturing (2020) and Top 100 – Best Workplaces (2020).
