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- Sanjiv Mehta, the Managing Director and CEO of Hindustan Unilever, retired from the MNC in June 2023.
- He stayed with HUL for 31 years, of which he spent 21 years serving Unilever’s businesses in various parts of the world.
- Let’s have a look at Sanjiv Mehta and his illustrious journey over the years.
His early career days
Sanjiv Mehta’s journey commenced with the pursuit of Chartered Accountancy from the esteemed Institute of Chartered Accountants of India.
In the year 1983, he set forth on his professional odyssey with Union Carbide, and from the outset, he proved his mettle by deftly navigating through diverse functions and assuming various roles.
Over the years, he displayed his acumen in areas such as Internal Audit, and subsequently, ascended to the role of Finance Head for the Chemicals and Plastics Division. The scope of his expertise expanded even further, encompassing leadership positions as Head of Corporate Accounting and Finance, as well as Manager of Business Analysis.
His last role at Union Carbide was as a Sales Head of the Bombay Branch, where he continued to excel and make a lasting impact.
Taking HUL to new heights
In 1987 Sanjiv Mehta joined Hindustan Unilever (HUL) as a Management Trainee.
In 1992 he assumed the role of a Group Commercial Manager for HUL’s Gulf Operations and later Commercial Head for its Home and Personal Care (HPC) division.
The HPC division which was struggling to make profits, experienced a remarkable turnaround, becoming a highly profitable and rapidly growing business, under his tenure as the Commercial Head.
In 2002, he was appointed as the Chairman and Managing Director at Unilever Bangladesh. Under his guidance, Unilever Bangladesh achieved exceptional growth and outstanding performance.
“We turned around a business which was reeling and in deep trouble, into one of the finest companies in the country while delivering mid-teens growth,” Sanjiv Mehta told ET.
In 2007, he moved to Manila as the Chairman and CEO of Unilever Philippines, and in 2008 was appointed as the chairman of Unilever North Africa and Middle East.
The culmination of his journey arrived in 2013 when he ascended to the distinguished roles of Chairman and Managing Director of Hindustan Unilever.
Over the course of the past decade, the Indian market bore witness to a phenomenal surge in HUL’s turnover, experiencing an impressive 2.3 times increase, skillfully orchestrated under his astute guidance. This momentous expansion brought forth a considerable infusion of Euro 4 billion (equivalent to Rs 32,000 crores) to the company’s revenue, a testament to his visionary leadership.
Such extraordinary growth charted a transformative path for HUL, propelling it to the coveted ranks of the top five most valuable companies in India and positioning it as the unrivaled behemoth in the domain of consumer staples across Asia.
Sanjiv’s exceptional leadership has not only led to remarkable financial success but has also earned HUL numerous prestigious awards such as the Economic Times’ “Company of the Year” and “Corporate Citizen of the Year” awards, Business Standard’s “Company of the Year” award, and the Asian Centre for Corporate Governance and Sustainability’s recognition as the “Best Governed Company.”
Sanjiv’s influence stretched beyond the borders of HUL and into the broader business landscape, where he held the distinguished position of President at the esteemed Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FICCI) from 2021 to 2022.
Even now, he continues to grace the corporate world, lending his expertise as a Non-Executive Board Member for Danone, a multinational food company worth an impressive $30 billion, and the venerable Air India.
Through every twist and turn of his journey, his indomitable dedication, financial acumen, and versatile skill set served as the bedrock for his extraordinary triumphs in the professional realm.
Despite the extraordinary journey of the past decades, the time had come for Sanjiv to bid farewell to HUL on the 26th of June 2023.
Reminiscing about his tenure at the esteemed multinational corporation, he spoke with a touch of nostalgia, “It has been a most exhilarating voyage of thirty-one years, during which I had the privilege of steering Unilever’s enterprises across twenty-five countries in diverse corners of the globe as their CEO for twenty-one years.
I must extend my heartfelt gratitude to my remarkable teams in the Philippines, North Africa & Middle East, and last but not least, my exceptional team in South Asia and India, whose dedication and brilliance have been invaluable to me,” he confided to ET.
Sanjiv turned to the virtual realm of LinkedIn to pen a heartfelt farewell message.
“Parting, as they say, is such sweet sorrow – the delight lies in looking forward to my next venture, while, of course, the poignancy resides in the goodbyes. As I conclude this chapter, I find solace in knowing that my departure leaves HUL even stronger, with an even greater impact on society and India,” he reflected.
He also took the opportunity to express gratitude to the retired Directors of HUL, acknowledging them as stalwart pillars of strength during his journey.
Sanjiv’s association with Hindustan Unilever Limited (HUL) for over three decades is truly remarkable and inspiring.
Chartered Accountants (CAs) are often perceived as just ‘Finance Professionals’, but stalwarts like Sanjiv are breaking stereotypes and motivating countless other CAs to reach for the stars.
