Samunnati Names Badri Narayanan as New Group CEO
Samunnati has announced a strategic leadership restructuring aimed at driving growth and strengthening its dedication to empowering smallholder farmers. In a key development, Anil Kumar SG, Founder & Group CEO, has been promoted to Founder & Managing Director, while Badri Narayanan, a seasoned leader from Unilever, has been appointed as the Group CEO Designate.
The restructured leadership aims to deepen Samunnati’s impact in the agricultural sector, focusing on empowering smallholder farmers and driving sustainable solutions across the agri-ecosystem. In his new role, Anil Kumar SG will focus on shaping long-term strategies, forging partnerships, and scaling innovative models to solidify Samunnati’s leadership position as a thought leader in the agricultural space. His focus will also include advancing sustainable practices that strengthen value chains and enable growth for smallholder farmers.
Speaking on the leadership realignment, Anil Kumar SG said, “This is a pivotal moment for Samunnati. This elevation provides me the bandwidth to steer the organization’s long-term strategic vision and collaborate across the agri-ecosystem. With Badri’s appointment as Group CEO Designate, Samunnati will further strengthen its operational excellence and ability to scale farmer-centric solutions that enable growth and resilience for smallholder farmers”.
Badri Narayanan, who brings more than 24 years of experience from Unilever, will oversee operational excellence in his role as Group CEO Designate. He is known for his leadership in driving customer growth, digital commerce, and distribution strategies. Badri’s deep expertise in emerging markets and digital transformation will support Samunnati in its mission to innovate and scale farmer-centric solutions. Over the next 6–8 months, Badri will integrate into the company’s operations and transition to the role of Group CEO, where he will lead Samunnati’s broader business strategies.
This leadership transition represents a key milestone for Samunnati, further strengthening its dedication to the agricultural community. The strategic realignment will empower the company to broaden its impact, improve operational efficiency, and sustain its efforts in driving transformative change for smallholder farmers throughout India.