“HUL is an emotion that has been a big part of me for the last ten years, a sentiment that my wife Mona Mehta and I will forever cherish,” Hindustan Unilever Limited’s former CEO and MD Sanjiv Mehta said in a LinkedIn post as he bid goodbye to the FMCG major.
Hindustan Unilever further announced the resignation of Sanjiv Mehta, and handed over the baton to Rohit Jawa. Rohit assumed the position of Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer on 27th June.
Sanjiv Mehta, stepped down from his position, effective from the close of business hours on 26th June 2023, following HUL’s 90th annual general meeting. During his tenure as MD & CEO since October 2013, Sanjiv played a pivotal role in driving sustained growth for HUL. Under his leadership, the company achieved remarkable milestones, redefining market development, enhancing its reputation, and transforming capabilities to achieve unprecedented levels of excellence.
Sanjiv introduced several transformative business programmes such as ‘Dial Up the Big Q’ and ‘Winning in Many Indias’ to make the business more consumer-centric, agile, and resilient. To make the business more future-fit, Sanjiv kickstarted the ‘Reimagine HUL’ agenda by leveraging data, harnessing latest technologies, and designing business models to redefine how HUL engages with consumers, customers, and the way the business operates.
He has led the business into future growth segments with several strategic mergers and acquisitions such as the amalgamation of GSK Consumer Healthcare into HUL, one of the biggest FMCG mergers in the country. He recognised the significance of responsible growth and championed initiatives that focused on environmental conservation, community development, and improving livelihoods. Some of HUL’s most impactful initiatives, like the Hindustan Unilever Foundation, Prabhat, our Suvidha centres, and Project Shakti, are shining examples.
As president of FICCI, Sanjiv played a crucial role in shaping the organisation’s agenda and driving key initiatives to promote economic growth and development in India. Under his leadership, FICCI charted the path for the next 25 years of India’s growth and presented the findings in a book titled ‘India’s Century’ to the Prime Minister of India.
Nitin Paranjpe, non-executive chairman, HUL, said, “Throughout his tenure at Unilever, Sanjiv shaped the trajectory of the company’s businesses and has become a beacon of inspiration for all who have worked with him. Over the past ten years, Sanjiv has passionately led the transformation of HUL and steered it to new heights. I would like to thank Sanjiv for his purpose-driven leadership and invaluable contributions to the business. I wish him the very best for his next innings.”
