Shankar Prasad

Act I: The Catalyst

Shankar Prasad graduated in Chemical Engineering from the prestigious Institute of Chemical Technology (ICT), Mumbai, in 1997 and completed his MBA from IIM Calcutta. Shankar spent over eight years at consumer goods giant Hindustan Unilever (HUL), formulating personal care products and managing regional brand marketing, followed by consulting at McKinsey & Company. While formulating cosmetics, Shankar was unsettled by the rampant use of harsh parabens, phthalates, and animal-derived ingredients across the Indian beauty market.

Act II: The Genesis Bet

In 2013, Shankar founded Plum Goodness in Thane, Mumbai. His founding thesis was revolutionary: build India's first 100% vegan, cruelty-free, and clean beauty brand. Plum made an unbending ethical pledge: no parabens, no phthalates, no animal testing, and complete ingredient disclosure on every product.

Act III: Zero-to-One PMF

Shankar formulated products that delivered tangible dermatological results without harsh chemicals. Plum's Green Tea skincare range—formulated specifically for acne-prone Indian skin—became an instant cult favorite, followed by Plum Chamomile & White Tea and Plum Vitamin C serums. Word-of-mouth recommendations among conscious beauty consumers propelled Plum into the top tier of Indian D2C skincare.

Act IV: The Flywheel of Scale

Shankar maintained strict financial discipline, running Plum bootstrapped and profitable for its first six years. In 2019, Plum raised external capital from Unilever Ventures, followed by a $35 million Series C round in 2022 led by A91 Partners at a valuation of $250 million. Shankar executed a seamless omnichannel expansion, placing Plum across 1,500+ multi-brand outlets and opening over 50 exclusive brand stores in leading shopping malls.

Act V: Crucible of Fire & Inflection Points

When hundreds of copycat 'clean beauty' brands flooded digital marketplaces, Shankar distinguished Plum through deep chemical formulations, in-house R&D labs, and authentic sustainability: launching the Plum 'Empties4Good' recycling program that collected thousands of empty plastic containers from customers for recycling.

Act VI: Ecosystem Architecture

Shankar Prasad is recognized as the pioneer of the clean beauty movement in India. He has elevated industry standards for cosmetic chemistry and ethical formulation. An active angel investor and advisor, Shankar mentors emerging green-tech, personal care, and sustainable consumer brands.

Act VII: The Long Horizon

Shankar is expanding Plum into international markets across the Middle East, Southeast Asia, and the US. His long-term vision is to establish Plum as an iconic global clean beauty powerhouse, proving that high-efficacy personal care and compassionate sustainability can thrive hand-in-hand.