Leadership Change and Future Outlook: Priya Nair Takes Charge as HUL Eyes Volume-Led Growth

Hindustan Unilever Limited (HUL) has announced a significant leadership transition with Priya Nair set to take over as Managing Director and CEO from August 1, 2025. She will succeed Rohit Jawa, who will be stepping down after a tenure marked by mixed performance. Under Jawa, the company faced pressure due to muted growth across its key categories, particularly in urban markets where demand slowed. Nair, who has previously served as the company’s Chief Marketing Officer and Executive Director for Beauty & Personal Care, is expected to bring fresh energy and strategic direction focused on innovation and volume-led growth.

The change in leadership comes at a time when HUL is attempting to revive momentum in a challenging economic landscape. While rural demand is showing signs of recovery, urban consumption has remained sluggish, especially in discretionary categories like skincare and packaged foods. The company is also dealing with ongoing margin pressure caused by commodity inflation in key inputs such as palm oil, tea, and coffee. During FY25, HUL posted a modest 2 percent growth in underlying sales, and while its profit margins remained relatively stable, volume growth was limited—highlighting the need for a more aggressive approach to customer engagement and portfolio expansion.

As part of its strategic restructuring, HUL is also focusing on sharpening its brand portfolio. The company has exited non-core segments like water purifiers and is working on demerging its ice cream business, Kwality Wall’s, to unlock shareholder value. Simultaneously, it is expanding into high-potential areas such as beauty and well-being, including the acquisition of a majority stake in Minimalist, a growing personal care brand. These moves are seen as key steps in simplifying the business model and concentrating efforts on future growth categories that align with changing consumer preferences.

With Priya Nair at the helm, market expectations are centered around a renewed focus on digital transformation, rural distribution expansion, and building relevance in premium product categories.

Analysts believe that her experience in brand building and consumer insights could be instrumental in helping HUL regain its market share and accelerate growth in both mature and emerging segments. While macroeconomic factors will continue to play a role, the leadership transition marks a potentially transformative phase for HUL as it navigates a complex but opportunity-rich consumer market.

Sources:Mint