Mumbai, Maharashtra, India, August 2025 — Priya Nair has been appointed Chief Executive Officer & Managing Director of Hindustan Unilever Limited (HUL), becoming the first woman to lead the company. The appointment marks a historic leadership milestone for one of India’s largest FMCG companies and brings Nair back to the organisation where she began her career in 1995.
Nair brings three decades of experience with Unilever across India, South Asia and global markets. Prior to taking the helm at HUL, she served as President, Beauty & Wellbeing at Unilever, based in Greater London, with responsibility for one of the company’s major global businesses. She had earlier served as Global Chief Marketing Officer for Beauty & Wellbeing.
Her leadership journey has included significant responsibilities in India and South Asia across Beauty & Personal Care and Home Care. As Executive Director and Executive Vice President, South Asia – Beauty & Personal Care, she led one of Unilever’s key consumer businesses. Earlier, she headed the Home Care business and held leadership responsibilities across detergents, household cleaning and water businesses.
Nair’s career at Unilever began as a Consumer Insights Manager and subsequently expanded across brand management, marketing, sales and general management. She has managed brands and businesses including Dove, Rin, Comfort, Surf, Sunlight, Pepsodent, Closeup, Axe and Rexona, and also headed customer development for HUL’s western region, responsible for a significant share of the company’s sales.
Her appointment comes as India’s FMCG sector undergoes significant transformation, shaped by premiumisation, e-commerce, quick commerce, regional competition and the emergence of new-age consumer brands. At HUL, Nair takes charge of a business with a presence in nine out of ten Indian households, placing her at the helm of one of the country’s most influential consumer companies.
Nair holds an MBA in Marketing from Symbiosis Institute of Business Management, Pune, and has also studied Business Administration and Management at Harvard Business School.
About Hindustan Unilever Limited
Hindustan Unilever Limited is India’s largest fast-moving consumer goods company, serving consumers in the country for more than 90 years. Guided by the belief that “What is good for India is good for HUL,” the company reaches nine out of ten Indian households with one or more of its brands.
HUL combines consumer understanding with science-backed innovation, R&D capabilities, advanced analytics and artificial intelligence across areas including demand sensing, supply-chain optimisation, precision marketing and personalised consumer engagement. Sustainability, responsible sourcing and efficient resource utilisation are also integral to its approach to long-term value creation.
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