Why and what took Hindustan Unilever so long to get itself a woman CEO
The fact that Leena Nair who never made it to HUL CEO is now making waves as Chanel’s global CEO and was named a Commander of the British Empire (CBE) by Prince William recently, is evidence enough that the talent was always there (at HUL) – but Unilever still shied away, writes Dr. Sandeep Goyal, Chairman, Rediffusion.
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By Dr. Sandeep Goyal
It could well have happened a decade ago. That time the frontrunner for the CEO’s job at Hindustan Unilever was another Nair lady – Leena Nair – but she eventually lost out, having to satisfy herself with a global job at Lever HQ in London, with pious accolades like the company’s “youngest ever, first female, first Asian” chief human-resources officer in 2016. But the fact that Lever fell short of giving a lady the top job in India rankled many. Leena Nair, of course, finally moved on to Chanel as its much celebrated global CEO in 2021.
It could again have happened a couple years ago. But this time around the new Nair aspirant, Priya Nair, got passed over by Rohit Jawa for the Hindustan Unilever CEO’s job and she took a consolation appointment as Business Group President, Beauty & Wellbeing at the Lever London headquarters. Thankfully, the baton has finally been passed on after much delay and denial to a lady leader – Hindustan Unilever finally finally has anointed Ms. Priya Nair as its new operating boss.
Ms. Nair earned her Bachelor of Commerce (BCom) in Accounts and Statistics from Sydenham College of Commerce and Economics from 1987 to1992. After that she pursued an MBA in Marketing from the Symbiosis Institute of Business Management, Pune, passing out in 1994. Her CV also says that she completed an executive education program at Harvard Business School.
Her journey at Hindustan Unilever started with Sales and Marketing roles in Hindustan Unilever across Home Care and Beauty & Personal Care from 1995 to 2012. In 2012 she was appointed to the Hindustan Unilever Management Board to lead Beauty & Personal Care. 2014 saw her become Executive Director South Asia – leading Home Care for Hindustan Unilever. By 2021Priya Nair was Executive Director & EVP South Asia – Beauty & Personal Care for Unilever in India. The steep upwards trajectory continued with a promotion to Global Chief Marketing Officer, Beauty & Wellbeing in 2022 and finally Business Group President, Beauty & Wellbeing globally in 2024.
I cannot claim to know Ms. Nair well, but I first met Priya about 10-12 years ago when I was fronting the Kaan Khajura Teshan project with HUL for Airtel at Mogae Media. Priya was bright, open to new ideas, welcoming of new technologies and solutions, and extremely fast on the uptake. But she was also a very tough negotiator. I, however, loved the fact that she could so easily say “no” with a nice, warm wide smile. The steel has a silky sheath, for sure.
The moot question on Priya Nair’s appointment is why and what took Hindustan Unilever so long to get itself a woman CEO, despite women being at the core of their business. The fact that Leena Nair who never made it to HUL CEO is now making waves as Chanel’s global CEO and was named a Commander of the British Empire (CBE) by Prince William recently, is evidence enough that the talent was always there – but Unilever still shied away.
This despite Unilever achieving gender balance at the managerial level, with women representing 55% of managers in its top echelons today. Women's representation at senior management levels at HUL was a trifle lower at 36%, but still commendable. At the highest leadership level, in the Unilever Leadership Executive (ULE), women represented 15% of the total count. In the overall workforce, women comprise 37% of Hindustan Unilever's total workforce of 128,000. Lever has also pioneered initiatives and programs like Project Ahilya and Project Samavesh – initiatives focused on supporting women in frontline sales and shopfloor roles, respectively, providing equal opportunities and creating a supportive environment.
Yet, a lady CEO took so long.
Lever’s Project Shakti has for years empowered women entrepreneurs in rural India. On maternal wellbeing standards too, Lever has been a torchbearer with guaranteed 16 weeks of paid maternity leave, and three weeks of paid leave for new fathers. Lever has already led the way with gender-neutral washrooms, spousal benefits for same-sex partners, and a gender affirmation policy, all measures implemented to support LGBTQ+ employees. An LGBTQ+ and allies employee resource group, ProUd, and another initiative branded Degreed, in fact help create awareness and support where other corporates have lagged. And yes, #Unstereotype, an HUL campaign focused on challenging stereotypes and unconscious bias has been a big hit. Then why hesitation or indecisiveness for the top job?
Over the years, HUL has portrayed women in myriad colours.
Lever created Surf’s Lalitaji – the iconic character from its advertising campaigns in the 1980s and 90s, became a symbol of womanpower by portraying a smart, assertive, and well-informed homemaker. She challenged the stereotypical image of a housewife by demonstrating her intelligence in household purchases and negotiating power.
Lalitaji resonated with Indian audiences, particularly middle-class women, as she represented their daily struggles and decision-making processes. Dove's portrayal of women, particularly through its “Real Beauty” campaign, aims to challenge traditional beauty standards and promote a more inclusive and diverse representation of women, and has been path-breaking. The campaign features real women of different shapes, sizes, and ethnicities, encouraging self-acceptance and body positivity. Dove's initiatives like the Dove Self-Esteem Project and Project #ShowUs, which aim to build confidence and provide diverse imagery in media and advertising, have been global thought-leaders. The “Sunsilk Gang of Girls” was an online social networking community launched by Hindustan Lever Limited (HLL) (now Hindustan Unilever Limited) in 2006. It was designed as a space for young girls to interact, share, and build community, while also promoting the Sunsilk brand. The platform featured various sections like gang games, blogs, and advice on hair care, relationships, and astrology. It was very very successful, attracting a large number of members and generating significant online traffic.
Levers’ Lux soap has a long history of celebrity women endorsements, particularly with Bollywood actresses, and is often referred to as the “beauty soap of the film stars”. The brand has consistently featured famous actresses in its advertisements, aiming to associate its products with glamour and beauty. Vim’s “Nazariya Badlo, Dekho Bartano Se Aage” is at the other extreme – where the ‘independent guy’ under the implicit assumption that it is the wife’s job to cook and clean, tries to impress the girl by offering to ‘help’ her with cooking. The girl immediately offers to ‘help’ him with dishes, gently nudging him to be independent in household chores as well, as she could get late from work. Clever, no?!
Profiling women and preaching equality has preceded executive action at Lever by years, if not decades. But now that the good deed is done and Priya Nair is finally CEO at HUL – congratulations are in order. Better late than never.
Dr. Sandeep Goyal is the Chairman of Rediffusion. Views expressed are personal.
