Priya Nair became the first woman CEO and Managing Director of Hindustan Unilever Limited (HUL), India’s largest Fast-Moving Consumer Goods (FMCG) company. Her ascension marks a significant milestone in the company’s leadership evolution.  She will also join the HUL Board, subject to necessary approvals, and continue as a member of the Unilever Leadership Executive (ULE). Her selection was based on her vast experience across sales, marketing, home and personal care, and her proven track record in business revitalization.

Priya Nair, is celebrated for her transformative leadership across nearly three decades. She revitalized HUL’s Home Care division, boosting profit margins from 13.1% to 18.8%, and led the turnaround of Unilever’s €13 billion global Beauty & Wellbeing business. Nair spearheaded award-winning campaigns like ‘Kan Khajura Tesan’, reaching over 30 million rural consumers and winning three Cannes Gold Lions.  Known for driving innovation, digital transformation, and premiumization, she has built iconic brands such as Dove, Rin, and Comfort, earning recognition among India’s most powerful businesswomen.

Born in Kerala, India, Priya Nair comes from a middle-class Malayali family. She completed her MBA from Symbiosis Institute of Business Management, Pune, which launched her distinguished career in the consumer goods industry. Her appointment represents a significant step forward for gender diversity in corporate leadership within India’s consumer goods sector.  Priya Nair’s journey from management trainee to CEO exemplifies the power of sustained excellence and leadership development within a single organization, making her a role model for aspiring women leaders in the FMCG industry. Indiaspora is proud to have Priya Nair on our Business Leaders 2.0 List.