Manchester, United Kingdom, March 2025 – Dechra Pharmaceuticals has announced the appointment of Ajay Gandhi as its Chief Financial Officer (CFO), effective March 1, 2025. With a distinguished career spanning over 28 years at Unilever, Ajay brings a wealth of expertise in financial leadership, strategic transformation, and global business management. His appointment follows the tenure of Paul Sandland, who, after 15 years with Dechra, has decided to take a career break. Ajay will be based in the United Kingdom.
Ajay said “I am thrilled to join Dechra as CFO and look forward to working with Jesper, the Senior Executive Team and everyone at Dechra to help deliver its value creation objectives in the years ahead, as it sets out to become a global leader in companion animal speciality care.”
Commenting on the announcement, Jesper Nordengaard, CEO of Dechra, said “I would like to extend my sincere thanks to Paul for all that he has achieved in his long career with Dechra. He leaves with our very best wishes for the future and will always be remembered fondly for his significant contribution. I am also delighted that Ajay will be joining us as he brings a wealth of relevant skills and experience, all of which will help guide us through our next phase of growth.”
Before joining Dechra, Ajay Gandhi spent five years as CFO of Elida Beauty, a business unit within Unilever, where he played a pivotal role in turning around performance, leading a business carve-out, and successfully managing the sale of the unit to private equity. His leadership was instrumental in optimizing capital allocation, implementing cost productivity measures, and driving strategic growth for a portfolio of legacy beauty brands.
Prior to this, Ajay served as Vice President, Corporate Finance and Group Structure at Unilever, reporting directly to the Group CFO and CEO. In this role, he led key transformation programs for the board, helping modernize Unilever’s corporate structure, which unlocked strategic opportunities for acquisitions and spin-offs. His expertise in corporate governance, finance restructuring, and external board engagement positioned him as a key influencer in Unilever’s organizational strategy.
From 2016 to 2019, Ajay was CFO & Vice President Finance for Unilever’s Global Home Care Division, overseeing a $13 billion business across 100+ markets. Under his leadership, the division achieved 600 basis points of margin expansion over four years, driven by net revenue management, pricing strategies, and cost-saving initiatives. His strategic capital allocation decisions strengthened Unilever’s portfolio in high-growth markets and enhanced the company’s financial resilience.
Earlier in his career, Ajay served as CFO & Vice President Finance of Unilever Philippines, where he played a critical role in transforming the company’s financial model, delivering double-digit growth and a 1,000 basis point improvement in margins. His leadership efforts earned the business the Global CEO’s Best Performing Unit award in 2015.
His tenure at Unilever also included leadership roles as CFO of Unilever’s Home and Personal Care Division in Indonesia, Global Performance Management Director, and Treasury Director for Hindustan Unilever Limited. He began his career in financial consulting, working with Arthur Andersen and PwC.
Ajay Gandhi is a qualified Chartered Accountant, Cost and Management Accountant, and Company Secretary. His deep financial expertise combined with his global leadership experience positions him as a key player in Dechra’s next phase of strategic expansion.
About Dechra
Dechra is a leading international veterinary pharmaceutical company, specializing in the development, manufacturing, and sales of high-quality products exclusively for veterinarians worldwide. With a presence in 26 countries and distribution in 63 more, Dechra is committed to advancing global animal health and welfare.
The company continues to grow by understanding the challenges faced by veterinarians and providing science-backed treatments, training, and support that enhance their ability to care for animals. With a strong commitment to sustainability and innovation, Dechra remains at the forefront of the veterinary pharmaceuticals industry.
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