HUL CEO Rohit Jawa To Step Down, Priya Nair Named Replacement

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.

Jawa was appointed as MD & CEO on June 27, 2023, and his term was supposed to end in 2028. His exit marks the shortest tenure in the FMCG major's top executive role in recent years, lastly only two years. The only other comparable short stint in HUL's nine decades of existence was by Douglas Baillie, who served as MD & CEO from 2006 to 2008.

Notably, the leadership rejig comes at a time when the bellwether for India's consumer sentiment grapples with demand slowdown, tepid earnings growth and fierce competition.

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. During Jawa's tenure, HUL recorded low-single digit volume growth, ranging between 2% and 4%. His tenure saw the launch of the ‘ASPIRE’ strategy aimed at driving competitive growth and reshaping HUL’s portfolio, the company said. He also saw the sale of HUL's water purification business Pureit as well as its acquisition of skincare upstart Minimalist.

A consumer goods veteran, 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.

Nair was also among the candidates considered in 2023 to succeed Sanjiv Mehta, who retired that year, sources say. But the CEO role then went to Jawa.

"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.

Under Jawa's leadership and in sync with parent Unilever's strategy, HUL split its beauty and personal care division into two separate entities: Beauty & Wellbeing and Personal Care. Yet, the company faced a tough time in building this segment amid stiff competition from challenger upstarts and global giants doubling down on urban markets.

"Although a surprising development, Jawa did try to take HUL towards a higher trajectory in his short tenure. He did a good acquisition — Minimalist," according to Abneesh Roy, executive director of Nuvama Institutional Equities. However, Nair has "excellent credentials" and "understanding of HUL and India", he added. "She is likely to be an aggressive MD in our view. We expect gradual recovery in volume growth for HUL and the entire FMCG sector."