HUL CEO Rohit Jawa To Step Down, Priya Nair Named Replacement
Priya Nair, who will be the first woman CEO of Hindustan Unilever, has been appointed for a five-year period until July 31, 2030.
Rohit Jawa will step down as managing director and chief executive officer of Hindustan Unilever Ltd. on July 31, 2025 — nearly three years before the conclusion of his five-year tenure.
Jawa will be replaced by Priya Nair, currently president of parent Unilever's beauty and wellbeing division, the country's largest consumer goods maker said in an exchange filing on Thursday.
Nair, who will be the first woman CEO of HUL, has been appointed for a five-year period until July 31, 2030. She will also join the HUL Board from August 1, pending approvals and will remain a member of the Unilever Leadership Executive, according to the company.
Priya Nair, newly appointed CEO of Hindustan Unilever (Image: HUL)
Jawa was appointed as MD & CEO on June 27, 2023, and his term was supposed to end in 2028. In a sudden resignation letter to the board, Jawa stated that he is stepping down "pursuant to mutual agreement" after a 37-year stint with Unilever, including as leader of strategically significant markets over the last decade in Asia. "I have decided to pursue the next chapter in my personal and professional journey," he wrote.
Reflecting on his contribution, the company credited him with delivering volume-led competitive growth during a challenging market environment.
Nair joined HUL in 1995 and held several sales and marketing roles across home care, beauty & wellbeing, and personal care businesses. The key roles played by Nair in the company over time led her to become the Executive Director, Home Care, HUL, between 2014 and 2020.
Then, she took over as the Executive Director, Beauty & Personal Care in 2020, a role she held till 2022. Prior to her elevation to the company's helm, she was overseeing a €13 billion portfolio that includes hair care, skin care, prestige beauty, and health and wellbeing brands across more than 20 markets.
"I am certain that with her deep understanding of the Indian market and excellent track record, Priya will take HUL to the next level of performance," said HUL Chairman Nitin Paranjpe.
Jawa did try to take HUL towards a higher trajectory in his short tenure and did good acquisitions like Minimalist. Nair has excellent credentials and understanding of HUL and India, according to Abneesh Roy, executive director of Nuvama.
"She is likely to be an aggressive MD in our view. We expect gradual recovery in volume growth for the entire sector and HUL," Roy said.
