Hindustan Unilever Ltd (HUL) on July 10 announced the appointment of Priya Nair as its new Chief Executive Officer and Managing Director, effective August 1, 2025. She is set to become the first woman to lead the FMCG giant in its 92-year history.
2/8
Priya Nair had completed her graduation from Sydenham College of Commerce and Economics in Mumbai. She then earned her MBA in marketing from the Symbiosis Institute of Business Management in Pune. She also completed a degree on Business Administration and Management from the Harvard Business School.
3/8
She had joined the FMCG major in 1995, and was associated with sales and marketing across home care and beauty & personal care segments. She went on to become the brand manager for popular names like Dove, Rin and Comfort. (Source: Priya Nair's LinkedIn profile)
4/8
Subsequently, she became the Global Chief Marketing Officer of the beauty and wellbeing at Unilever in 2022, and later took over as the President of the division in 2024. This is the role that she currently holds, till the time she transitions into her new role as the CEO of the FMCG major. (Source: Bloomberg)
According to analysts, Priya Nair will provide the FMCG player with the required boost to navigate the rising competitive challenges, while accelerating HUL's digital transformation efforts. Further, with her long-standing experience at HUL, she is well-positioned to help the firm capitalize on the evolving and long-term prospects of the Indian consumption market, stated Japan-based Nomura.
6/8
Nair is set to replace Rohit Jawa, who will step down as CEO and MD on July 31, 2025 to pursue the next chapter in his personal and professional journey, HUL said in its exchange filing. Jawa took over as the CEO and MD of HUL in 2023. During his tenure of over two years, the company delivered volume-led competitive growth, HUL stated.
7/8
Macquarie noted that while the sudden departure of Rohit Jawa and the relatively short period of transition remain concerning, the brokerage gains comfort from Priya Nair's long period of experience in India. Further, the change of guard will drive a stronger focus on growth, especially in the Beauty segment.
