Hindustan Unilever appoints Priya Nair as MD and CEO

Hindustan Unilever Ltd (HUL) has announced the appointment of Priya Nair as its new Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer, effective August 1, 2025. The company’s board approved Nair’s appointment for a five-year term. She will be the first woman to lead the FMCG major in its history.Nair will succeed Rohit Jawa, who is stepping down from the role at the close of business on July 31, 2025, following a mutual agreement with the board. His exit marks one of the shortest tenures in the company’s top role, ending after just two years. The last comparable short stint was by Douglas Baillie, who served as MD & CEO from 2006 to 2008.

Nair currently serves as Business Group President – Beauty & Wellbeing at Unilever, managing a €13 billion portfolio across global markets. A Unilever veteran with nearly three decades of experience, she has previously held key roles within HUL, including Executive Director for Home Care and Beauty & Personal Care. She has also served as Global Chief Marketing Officer for Beauty & Wellbeing, where she led digital and brand transformation initiatives.

Jawa, who took over as MD & CEO in June 2023, exits after steering the company through a period of economic headwinds and shifting consumption trends. His tenure saw the launch of the ‘ASPIRE’ strategy aimed at driving competitive growth and reshaping HUL’s portfolio. He had previously led Unilever’s businesses in China and the Philippines over his 37-year career with the group.Rohit Jawa, in his first earnings call had called out high levels of cumulative inflation, and that rural market volume growth turned positive after nearly two years of decline. However, while rural showed signs of growth, urban consumption continued to remain under stress.
During his tenure, the company recorded low-single digit volume growth, ranging between 2-4%.Volume Growth Trends Under Jawa

Quarter	Volume Growth (%)
Q1 FY24	+3%
Q2 fy24	+2%
Q3 FY24	+2%
Q4 FY24	+2%
Q1 FY25	+4%
Q2 fy25	+3%

Under Jawa, one notable focus in strategy was on the beauty and wellbeing industry. In December 2023, HUL announced that it was is splitting its beauty and personal care business into two, one dedicated to beauty and wellbeing and the other to personal care in a bid to focus on the fast-growing beauty market in India and take on newer companies in the space. It also acquired Minimalist, the only acquisition during Jawa’s tenure, for  ₹2,955 crore

The transition will be effective from August 1, 2025.

The move comes amid a broader backdrop, including ongoing changes at the global parent as well. Unilever’s global CEO Hein Schumacher also stepped down in March 2025, less than two years into his role.

The shares of the company ended 0.68% in the red on Thursday (July 10). The stock has gained 3.66% year-to-date.

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