NIPSEA Group appoints Sharad Malhotra as MD of Nippon Paint India

New Delhi: The NIPSEA Group, a subsidiary of Nippon Paint Holdings of Japan, has appointed Sharad Malhotra as Managing Director of Nippon Paint India, effective December 1, 2025. 

Malhotra will succeed Jon Tan and report to the Group CEO, Wee Siew Kim. He is the first Indian to hold the position.

Headquartered in Japan, Nippon Paint is the fourth largest paint company globally by revenue and the leading paints and coatings company in the Asia-Pacific region. Malhotra has been with Nippon Paint for 15 years, building the company’s automotive refinish, wood coatings, and light industrial coatings business in India. He is also an existing Director on the Board and has been involved in Nippon Paint’s expansion into paint protection films and other categories.

Commenting on the appointment, Wee Siew Kim, Co-President of Nippon Paint Holdings and Group CEO, NIPSEA Group, said, “We are delighted to appoint Sharad Malhotra to this pivotal leadership role. Sharad has successfully led and charted a strong growth path for our auto refinish business globally, while being based in India. His proven ability to deliver results, deep understanding of our business, and commitment to excellence make him ideally suited to lead our India operations through the next phase of growth.”

On his new role, Sharad Malhotra said, “It is an immense honour to lead Nippon Paint India at this transformative and pivotal moment. The Indian market presents unique opportunities and challenges, and I look forward to expand possibilities for our business, build on our strengths, and support our customers and partners as we move forward.”

As Managing Director, Malhotra will oversee the overall direction and strategy of Nippon Paint India, focusing on growth across all segments of the paint market while continuing to lead the company’s global automotive aftermarket business, a sector he has been responsible for since its inception.