Mumbai, Maharashtra, India, January 2026 — Unilever has elevated Sunanda Khaitan to the role of Chief Marketing Officer (CMO) – Beauty & Wellbeing, marking a significant milestone in her long-standing and accomplished journey with the organization.
In her new role, Sunanda Khaitan will lead the marketing charter for Unilever’s Beauty & Wellbeing portfolio, shaping brand strategy, driving category growth, and strengthening consumer engagement across one of the company’s most strategically important segments. She will focus on accelerating innovation, reinforcing brand equity, and supporting long-term growth priorities in a highly competitive and evolving market.
Sunanda brings nearly two decades of experience with Unilever, having built a distinguished career across sales, marketing, and global brand leadership roles. Most recently, she served as Vice President & Business Head – Lakmē, where she played a pivotal role in strengthening the brand’s market presence and driving sustained growth within Hindustan Unilever’s Beauty & Personal Care portfolio.
Prior to that, she held the role of Global Brand Director – Haircare, where she was responsible for shaping global brand strategy, innovation pipelines, and portfolio transformation initiatives across international markets. Her work in this role contributed to strengthening brand relevance and delivering consistent performance across geographies.
Sunanda began her journey at Unilever as an Area Sales Manager, steadily progressing through multiple leadership roles over the years. Her career trajectory reflects deep institutional knowledge, strong commercial acumen, and a proven ability to build brands at scale across diverse consumer segments.
Before joining Unilever, she gained early industry experience at Dabur India Limited, where she built a strong foundation in FMCG sales and market execution, further shaping her leadership approach and understanding of consumer-driven businesses.
Widely recognized for her strategic thinking, brand-building expertise, and people leadership, Sunanda Khaitan’s elevation underscores Unilever’s commitment to nurturing internal talent and strengthening leadership continuity within its Beauty & Wellbeing business.
About Unilever
Every day, 3.4 billion people around the world use Unilever products across food, beauty, personal care, and home care categories. With a portfolio of iconic brands and operations in around 190 countries, Unilever continues to innovate, build market-leading brands, and create sustainable value through its people, purpose, and performance-driven culture.
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