Rohit Jawa bids farewell to HUL, says Priya Nair excellent person to take over the baton

Priya Nair officially takes over as HUL’s MD and CEO today

by e4m Desk
Published: Aug 1, 2025 9:06 AM | 2 min read

As Rohit Jawa wrapped up his tenure as Managing Director and CEO of Hindustan Unilever (HUL) on Thursday, he reflected on his 37-year-long journey with Unilever, calling it a career marked by gratitude and fulfilment.

“If there’s one word to describe my journey in the organisation, it would be ‘grateful’ — for everything I’ve received across HUL and Unilever over the past 37 years,” said Jawa at a post-earnings media conference. “Fulfilled, because I’ve worked across eight markets. In the past 12 years, I’ve had the privilege of being CEO in three significant markets in Asia. How many people can say they’ve led both China and India in one career?”

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Jawa now passes the baton to Priya Nair, who officially takes over as HUL’s MD and CEO today (August 1), becoming the first woman to lead the FMCG giant in India.

Welcoming Nair during the company’s earnings call, Jawa said, “I’m handing over to a successor who’s also homegrown. She has three decades of experience, a large part of it with HUL, and has been on the management committee for seven years. She’s an excellent person to take over the baton. She’s also held a global leadership role in beauty and wellbeing, which is so important for us.”

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“She’s the perfect casting for this time,” he added.

Unilever CEO Fernando Fernandez said, “Priya combines a deep understanding of our home and personal care business in India, which she successfully ran for many years, with the knowledge of international markets necessary to keep our portfolio in tune with the significant consumer needs and channel shifts already visible in the market.”