Priya Nair Appointed as New MD & CEO of Hindustan Unilever, Succeeding Rohit Jawa

Global FMCG giant Unilever's Indian subsidiary, Hindustan Unilever Limited (HUL), has announced the appointment of Priya Nair as its new Managing Director (MD) and Chief Executive Officer (CEO) for a five-year term starting August 1, 2025. Nair will become the first woman CEO of the company, marking a significant milestone in HUL’s history. She will succeed Rohit Jawa, who will step down on July 31, 2025, to explore new personal and professional avenues.

Priya Nair currently holds the position of President for Beauty and Wellbeing at Unilever, one of the company’s fastest-growing global divisions. She will also join HUL’s Board of Directors, pending regulatory approvals, while continuing to serve on the Unilever Leadership Executive (ULE).

Nair began her journey at HUL in 1995, having held a variety of leadership roles across sales and marketing within the Home Care, Beauty & Wellbeing, and Personal Care verticals. Between 2014 and 2020, she served as the Executive Director for Home Care, and later took over as Executive Director for Beauty & Personal Care (2020–2022). She was then promoted to Global Chief Marketing Officer for the Beauty & Wellbeing category at Unilever. Since 2023, she has successfully led Unilever’s Beauty & Wellbeing segment at the global level. Nair holds a commerce degree from Sydenham College, Mumbai, an MBA from Symbiosis Institute of Business Management, Pune, and has completed executive education at Harvard Business School.

In his farewell note to HUL’s board, Rohit Jawa expressed pride in his 37-year career with Unilever, noting his leadership across key Asian markets and his contributions in shaping the company’s regional and global strategy. During his tenure as MD & CEO of HUL since 2023, Jawa introduced the ‘ASPIRE’ strategy, aimed at repositioning HUL’s business portfolio and channels to align with high-growth demand areas. Under his leadership, HUL achieved volume-led competitive growth, despite economic uncertainties.

Welcoming Nair back to HUL and to India, Nitin Paranjpe, Chairman of HUL, praised her “outstanding career” and deep market insights. He expressed confidence in her ability to steer the company toward its next phase of performance and innovation.

Jawa’s career highlights also include roles such as Executive Vice President for North Asia, Chairman of Unilever China, and Chairman of Unilever Philippines—two of the most critical and challenging operations within the Unilever network.

For the fiscal year 2025, HUL reported strong financials, with a turnover of ₹61,469 crore and a net profit of ₹10,644 crore. The company also boasts a market capitalization of ₹5.66 lakh crore, cementing its position as one of India’s leading consumer goods firms.

In summary, the leadership transition at HUL reflects Unilever’s emphasis on experienced, visionary leadership and a commitment to gender diversity at the top level. Priya Nair’s appointment represents a new chapter for the company as it continues to adapt to evolving market trends and consumer needs in one of the world’s most dynamic FMCG markets.