Rohit Jawa will be stepping into the shoes of Sanjiv Mehta, as the MD and CEO of Hindustan Unilever, with effect from 27 June, 2023. Mehta will retire by the end of June after having served Unilever for over three decades.
Mehta, a top ranker from the Institute of Chartered Accountants of India, and an alumnus of Harvard Business School, joined Unilever as group commercial manager, commercial head HPC, based out of Dubai, way back in 1992. Six years later, he became commercial director, working out of Bangladesh for over three years. In 2002, he became chairman and MD, Unilever Bangladesh. By 2007, he was elevated to chairman and CEO, Unilever Philippines. The year 2008 saw him donning the hat of chairman, Unilever, North Africa and Middle East. After a successful tenure of over five years in this role, he moved to Mumbai as the CEO and MD, HUL; executive VP, Unilever, South Asia. Since March, 2022, he has also been president, Unilever South Asia.
In the early years of his career, from 1983 to 1992, Mehta worked as sales manager, manager – business analysis and manager – corporate accounting and finance, at Union Carbide, for nine years. He then moved to the Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce & Industry (FICCI) for the next three years.
In the last fiscal year, Mehta’s total remuneration was Rs 22.36 crore per year, at HUL while in the same period the previous year, it was Rs 22.073 crore, as per the consumer goods manufacturing company’s annual report.
Mehta will hand over the baton to Rohit Jawa whose association with Unilever has been 35 years long.
Jawa — who has studied business management and administration from the Harvard Business School, and is an alumnus of the Faculty of Management Studies, Delhi University — joined Hindustan Unilever in 1998, as general manager – western region. After 15 years in this role, based out of Mumbai, he relocated to Ho Chi Minh City, as vice president – Unilever Vietnam. In November 2006, he moved to Singapore, as VP – laundry category, South Asia & South East Asia and global brand VP, Unilever. Less than four years later, he became EVP – global marketing operations. Three years into this role, he moved to the Philippines as chairman and CEO & EVP Unilever Philippines.
From 2017 to 2022, he was chairman, Unilever China and EVP North Asia region, based out of Shanghai. His next posting was to London, as chief of transformation. It was only in April 2023 that he returned to Mumbai, as president – Unilever, South Asia and CEO designate and whole-time director, HUL. He will be paid Rs 21.43 crore as yearly remuneration, and an additional Rs 4.83 crore as mobility-linked allowances in the financial year 2024
HRKatha wishes Bawa all the luck as he takes on a new role, and also wishes the best to Mehta in all his future endeavours.
