Hindustan Unilever appoints Rohit Jawa as MD & CEO from June 27, 2023

Consumer goods conglomerate Hindustan Unilever Limited (HUL) on Friday announced that Rohit Jawa will take over as the new Managing Director & CEO of HUL from June 23, 2023, and will join the company as CEO designate and Whole-time Director from April 1, 2023. Rohit will also take over as President, Unilever South Asia. He will join the Unilever Leadership Executive (ULE) effective April 1, 2023.

After a 'transformational' tenure of 10 years at the helm of HUL, Sanjiv Mehta will retire from the company, said HUL. "56-year-old Jawa is currently the Chief of Transformation for Unilever in London where since January 2022, he has successfully orchestrated the once-in-a-decade, end-to-end transformation of Unilever. He started his career with HUL as a management trainee in 1988 and has a proven track record of sustained business results across - India, South East Asia, and North Asia. As EVP for North Asia & Chairman for Unilever China, he led a significant transformation of Unilever China into a competitive, profitable, and consistent business, now Unilever’s 3rd biggest globally," said HUL in a stock exchange filing.

62-year-old Mehta took over as the MD & CEO of HUL in October 2013 and during his decade at the helm, the business crossed the Rs 50,000 crore turnover mark and the market capitalisation of the Company increased more than four times from $17 billion to $75 billion, reinforcing HUL as one of India’s most valuable businesses, said HUL.

Mehta has led the business into future growth segments with several strategic mergers and acquisitions such as the amalgamation of GSK Consumer Healthcare into HUL, one of the biggest mergers in the history of FMCG in the country, said HUL. 

Thanking Mehta for his immense and sustainable contribution to the business, Nitin Paranjpe, NonExecutive Chairman, HUL said, “Sanjiv (Mehta) with his foresight has led HUL to become a high-performing and future-fit business. He has been an integral part of the Unilever Leadership Executive and has driven the South Asia growth agenda as the president of the market cluster. As the President of FICCI last year, Sanjiv made a significant contribution towards the industry in India. Through his passion, commitment, and endless energy, he leaves behind a business that is now poised to achieve even greater heights.”

Welcoming Jawa to HUL, Nitin added: “I am delighted to welcome Rohit back to India. He has a deep understanding of the business landscape particularly in Asia and has led the transformation of Unilever businesses in China and in Philippines. I am certain that with his astute business acumen, and growth mindset Rohit will take HUL to the next level of performance.”

Growth in India's FMCG industry slowed in the quarter ended December 2022 sequentially as rural shoppers spent less on items such as washing powder and shampoo, according to market intelligence firm NielsenIQ.

Last year, Unilever had said the United States, India and China were three of its key growth markets, underlining plans to grow in India amid rising use of the internet in the country and the economy's expansion.

HUL recently hiked royalty and central services fees it pays its majority owner Unilever ULVR.L to 3.45% of its turnover over three years from 2.65% earlier.

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