Unilever's Indian talent factory
With the appointment of Priya Nair to the Unilever Leadership Executive, the top decision-making body at Unilever now has three Indians
(Clockwise from left) Sanjiv Mehta, Manvinder Singh Banga, Nitin Paranjpe, Harish Manwani and Leena Nair
Hindustan Unilever has provided a large talent pool for its global parent Unilever. Managers at the Indian subsidiary are seen as hard-nosed marketers who have the chops to succeed in any environment. Over the years the parent has used global assignments to prepare its top managers, known internally as listers, for larger roles. And most of HUL’s chief executives have spent time at headquarters where the top leadership team can get to know them. HUL’s current chief executive, Rohit Jawa, was chief transformation officer for Unilever in London.
Here are some of Hindustan Unilever’s managers who have had a role at the global parent:
T Thomas
T Thomas joined Hindustan Lever in 1950 and is the first known case of an Indian manager moving to Unilever. He spent his career at the company and was made chairman from 1973 to 1980. After his stint in India he was appointed to the board of Unilever plc & NV as executive director. His appointment was the first for a non-European. He spent a decade at Unilever and spent most of his time consolidating the worldwide specialty chemicals group making it a major profit center.
Keki Dadiseth
Hindustan Lever’s chairman between 1996 and 2000 had two stints at the global parent. Between 1984 and 1987 he was seconded to the company and held senior finance and commercial positions, post which Keki Dadiseth returned to India and took up a board position responsible for personal products and detergents. After the completion of his stint, Dadiseth was made a director of home and personal care.
