Hindustan Unilever Names Rohit Jawa As New MD And CEO

Hindustan Unilever (HUL) has named Rohit Jawa as its new Managing Director and CEO. Jawa will take over as CEO of HUL on June 27, 2023. He succeeds Sanjiv Mehta, who is retiring from HUL after a transformational ten-year tenure.

Jawa will be the President of Unilever South Asia in addition to being the CEO and MD of HUL. He will also become a member of the Unilever Leadership Executive (ULE) on April 1, 2023. Jawa, on the other hand, will join HUL as CEO designate and full-time director on April 1, 2023.

He is currently the Chief Transformation Officer for Unilever in London. The 56-year-old has successfully orchestrated the once-in-a-decade and end-to-end transformation at Unilever.

He began his career with HUL in 1988 as a management trainee and has a proven track record of long-term business results in India, South East Asia, and North Asia. He led a significant transformation of Unilever China into a competitive, profitable, and consistent business, now Unilever's third largest globally, as EVP for North Asia and Chairman for Unilever China.

He was also the Chairman of Unilever Philippines, where he led the company to become one of Unilever's top ten markets worldwide.

In a statement, HUL said, "Rohit’s ability to integrate the strength of traditional markets with digital technologies and future-fit business models, positions him well to take HUL into its next growth phase."

On Rohit's appointment, Nitin Paranjpe, Non-Executive Chairman, HUL said, “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 the Philippines. I am certain that with his astute business acumen, and growth mindset Rohit will take HUL to the next level of performance."

Meanwhile, on the exit of Sanjiv Mehta, Paranjpe said, "Sanjiv 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."