Hindustan Unilever (HUL) will see a change of guard this August as Priya Nair takes over as Managing Director and CEO, replacing Rohit Jawa. Nair, currently the Global President of Unilever’s Beauty & Wellbeing business, will become the first woman to lead HUL in its long history.
Her appointment comes at a crucial time. With slower growth in the Indian consumer market and increased competition from smaller, digital-first brands, HUL is under pressure to innovate while staying grounded in its legacy. Nair, 53, is no stranger to the company or the challenges ahead. She joined HUL in 1995 as a management trainee and has since held a wide range of roles across sales, marketing, home care, beauty, and personal care.
From Pune to London, and Now Back to Mumbai
An alumna of Symbiosis Institute of Business Management, Pune, Nair began her professional journey in HUL’s consumer insights team. Over the years, she moved through the ranks, managing well-known brands like Dove, Rin, and Comfort, eventually heading the Homecare and Beauty & Personal Care portfolios in India.
Her career took a global turn in 2022 when she moved to London to take up the role of Global Chief Marketing Officer for Unilever’s Beauty & Wellbeing business. By 2023, she had joined the Unilever Leadership Executive, working alongside senior leaders like Nitin Paranjpe and Rohit Jawa. Now, she returns to India to lead HUL at a time of transformation.
The Two Principles That Shaped Her Rise
In a past interaction with Storyboard18, Nair spoke candidly about the approach that’s guided her career. “In corporate life, if you are fortunate enough to discover your purpose, which I have, you will have the strength to manage all volatility and uncertainty,” she said.
Her second principle is about staying curious and continuously learning. “This learning agility is critical in management, as we see the world change at an increasing speed,” she added. True to her words, Nair even returned to academics after 25 years in the workforce by enrolling in a leadership program at Harvard Business School, encouraged by her mother.
A Track Record Built on Both Strategy and Execution
At HUL, Nair isn’t just known for holding high-level roles. She is also credited with launching notable initiatives like ‘ Kan Khajura Tesan’—a mobile marketing campaign aimed at rural India—which went on to win three Gold Lions at Cannes in 2014.
As Head of Homecare, she led a turnaround of the portfolio, focusing on making the business more sustainable and future-ready. Her tenure reflects not just a grasp of market trends but also the ability to implement changes at scale.
Following a Legacy of Indian Leaders at Unilever
Priya Nair’s elevation is also a reminder of HUL’s long-standing reputation as a talent factory. From Leena Nair, now global CEO of Chanel, to Rohit Jawa, who served Unilever globally before returning to head HUL, the company has consistently produced leaders with both local insight and global readiness.
Unilever’s internal system of identifying promising leaders—known as “listers”—has long been a pipeline for such transitions. Nair’s global exposure, combined with her deep understanding of the Indian market, makes her a natural fit for the next phase of HUL’s journey, according to company chairman Nitin Paranjpe.
Her appointment comes at a crucial time. With slower growth in the Indian consumer market and increased competition from smaller, digital-first brands, HUL is under pressure to innovate while staying grounded in its legacy. Nair, 53, is no stranger to the company or the challenges ahead. She joined HUL in 1995 as a management trainee and has since held a wide range of roles across sales, marketing, home care, beauty, and personal care.
From Pune to London, and Now Back to Mumbai
An alumna of Symbiosis Institute of Business Management, Pune, Nair began her professional journey in HUL’s consumer insights team. Over the years, she moved through the ranks, managing well-known brands like Dove, Rin, and Comfort, eventually heading the Homecare and Beauty & Personal Care portfolios in India.
Her career took a global turn in 2022 when she moved to London to take up the role of Global Chief Marketing Officer for Unilever’s Beauty & Wellbeing business. By 2023, she had joined the Unilever Leadership Executive, working alongside senior leaders like Nitin Paranjpe and Rohit Jawa. Now, she returns to India to lead HUL at a time of transformation.
The Two Principles That Shaped Her Rise
In a past interaction with Storyboard18, Nair spoke candidly about the approach that’s guided her career. “In corporate life, if you are fortunate enough to discover your purpose, which I have, you will have the strength to manage all volatility and uncertainty,” she said.
Her second principle is about staying curious and continuously learning. “This learning agility is critical in management, as we see the world change at an increasing speed,” she added. True to her words, Nair even returned to academics after 25 years in the workforce by enrolling in a leadership program at Harvard Business School, encouraged by her mother.
A Track Record Built on Both Strategy and Execution
At HUL, Nair isn’t just known for holding high-level roles. She is also credited with launching notable initiatives like ‘ Kan Khajura Tesan’—a mobile marketing campaign aimed at rural India—which went on to win three Gold Lions at Cannes in 2014.
As Head of Homecare, she led a turnaround of the portfolio, focusing on making the business more sustainable and future-ready. Her tenure reflects not just a grasp of market trends but also the ability to implement changes at scale.
Following a Legacy of Indian Leaders at Unilever
Priya Nair’s elevation is also a reminder of HUL’s long-standing reputation as a talent factory. From Leena Nair, now global CEO of Chanel, to Rohit Jawa, who served Unilever globally before returning to head HUL, the company has consistently produced leaders with both local insight and global readiness.
Unilever’s internal system of identifying promising leaders—known as “listers”—has long been a pipeline for such transitions. Nair’s global exposure, combined with her deep understanding of the Indian market, makes her a natural fit for the next phase of HUL’s journey, according to company chairman Nitin Paranjpe.
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