– KH News Desk (cbedit@imaws.org)
Hindustan Unilever Ltd. (HUL), a powerhouse in India’s fast-moving consumer goods sector, is ushering in a pivotal leadership transition that promises to steer the company into its next growth phase. On November 1, 2025, Niranjan Gupta will take the helm as HUL’s Chief Financial Officer (CFO) and Executive Director – Finance, succeeding Ritesh Tiwari, who is being elevated to a prestigious global position as Global Head of Mergers & Acquisitions (M&A) and Treasury at parent company Unilever Plc.
Gupta’s appointment marks a return to familiar territory. He began his career at HUL and spent nearly two decades there before venturing into senior roles elsewhere. Most recently, he served as CEO of Hero MotoCorp, after initially joining the two-wheeler company as CFO in 2017. During his tenure, he is credited with reinforcing the company’s financial resilience, shaping long-term strategic direction, and forging high-impact global alliances, including one with Harley-Davidson,
On the other side of this leadership change, Ritesh Tiwari, who has served as CFO since 2021, will move to London to assume a broader international responsibility. His tenure at HUL was marked by navigating the firm through a tumultuous pandemic period, executing strategic acquisitions, reshaping HUL’s portfolio, and managing the demerger of the ice cream business into the standalone entity, Kwality Walls (India) Ltd, preparing it for independent listing.
Priya Nair, CEO & Managing Director of HUL, voiced her appreciation: “I would like to thank Ritesh for his future-focused leadership and invaluable contribution to HUL. His elevation to the global role is yet another testament to HUL’s strong leadership pipeline. I am pleased to welcome Niranjan back to Hindustan Unilever and I am confident that he will play a pivotal role in steering the company towards its next phase of growth”.
This leadership reconfiguration occurs alongside other significant shifts. Only a month prior, Priya Nair assumed the CEO & MD role at HUL, succeeding Rohit Jawa, who exited before completing his term. HUL’s management committee also welcomed new executives in areas including Food, Legal & Corporate Affairs, Personal Care, and Customer Development—underscoring a strategic refresh aimed at invigorating growth.
