Outlook Business Desk
Hindustan Unilever Ltd (HUL) on Thursday, July 11, announced Priya Nair as its next Managing Director and CEO, making her the first woman to lead India’s largest fast-moving consumer goods (FMCG) company.
Priya Nair will replace Rohit Jawa, who steps down as HUL’s CEO and MD on July 31. According to the company, he is leaving to pursue the next phase of his personal and professional journey.
Currently heading Unilever’s Beauty & Wellbeing division, Nair will take over as Managing Director and CEO of HUL on August 1. According to PTI, she’ll be the first woman to hold these positions and will serve a five-year term until July 31, 2030.
Priya Nair began her journey with Hindustan Unilever in 1995, taking on multiple roles in sales and marketing across Home Care, Beauty & Wellbeing, and Personal Care categories over the years.
Nair served as Executive Director, Home Care, HUL from 2014 to 2020, and later led the Beauty & Personal Care division from 2020 to 2022, driving major growth across both verticals.
After serving as Global Chief Marketing Officer, Priya Nair became President of Unilever’s Beauty & Wellbeing division in 2023—one of the company’s fastest-growing businesses under her leadership.
Priya Nair holds an MBA degree from Symbiosis Institute of Business Management, Pune (1994), and completed a Business Administration and Management course at Harvard Business School, strengthening her global leadership profile.
HUL Chairperson Nitin Paranjpe praised Priya Nair’s exceptional career at HUL and Unilever, expressing confidence that her strong grasp of the Indian market will help elevate HUL’s performance even further.