New Delhi, Aug. 7 -- India's largest consumer goods companies opened their wallets for top executives in FY26 with higher pay packages and new appointments, even as subdued demand and weak volume growth weighed on the sector.

"All these organisations are looking at that rare breed of talent, which is few and far between," said Kaushik Das Gupta, managing partner of India at the global executive search and leadership advisory firm Odgers. "And hence at the CEO level, they're ready to pay that premium."

During the year, several of India's largest consumer goods companies changed leadership.

Hindustan Unilever (HUL) appointed Priya Nair as chief executive in August, replacing Rohit Jawa, who had completed just two years of his five-year a...