Since graduating from the Indian Institute of Technology in Bombay with a B. Tech (1973), Rutgers University in New Jersey with an MS (1975) and finally the Harvard Business School with an MBA (1977), Raki Talwar has spent the last 29 years marketing branded products to consumer both in the US and around the world. Following 10 years of traditional Brand Management in the US with Colgate-Palmolive, and then at Citibank, Clairol and International Playtex, Raki spent 5 years overseas in marketing and general management roles for the Colgate-Palmolive company, including establishing a joint venture between Colgate and Clorox in Southeast Asia.

Raki returned to New York in 1993 and held several positions leading up to worldwide director with global marketing responsibility for the Household Surface Care category for Colgate-Palmolive. Since 2003, he has been leading Colgate's worldwide effort to integrate the internet into the consumer marketing process. This includes developing and validating online consumer strategies and approaches in the US and then pushing these proven practices around the globe. Raki was responsible for helping Colgate establish websites in 40 countries and establishing internet based marketing programs in many of them.