Four rising stars take charge in bold leadership overhaul at HUL

In a strategic reshuffle at Hindustan Unilever Limited (HUL), four dynamic leaders—Shiva Krishnamurthy, Harman Dhillon, Arun Neelakantan, and Vipul Mathur—have been appointed to pivotal roles within the organization.
Anuradha Razdan, Executive Director of HR at HUL and Chief Human Resources Officer for Unilever South Asia, highlighted the distinctive principle that sets Unilever apart and fuels the company’s growth: "leaders build leaders." This ethos fosters unity and ensures a continuous leadership pipeline within HUL.

Shiva Krishnamurthy has taken on the role of Executive Director of Food and Refreshment at HUL. Previously, he was the Vice President of Foods and Beverages for Unilever South Asia. Over the last decade, Krishnamurthy's leadership has elevated HUL to the pinnacle of India's tea market. He orchestrated the launch of the Brooke Bond Red Label 6-Pack Band, India's first transgender band, which earned the prestigious Glass Grand Prix at Cannes. He also drove innovation for the Radiant brand in Southeast Asia's home care market.
An XLRI Jamshedpur alumnus, Krishnamurthy joined HUL in 2000 after a brief stint with PepsiCo and initially worked as an area sales manager on the Customer Development team.

Harman Dhillon is the Executive Director of Hindustan Unilever Limited's Beauty and Wellbeing division and the General Manager for Unilever's Beauty and Wellbeing division in South Asia. Harman is a seasoned business leader with expertise in strategic thinking, consumer insights, brand development, P&L management, and team leadership. She has a proven track record in launching and growing major beauty and personal care brands across South Asia, North America, and Europe.
Previously, as Skin Care Head, she led HUL’s premiumisation efforts and revitalized brands like Lakmé. As VP of Hair Care, she launched Dove Hair and TRESemmé in India, spearheading successful campaigns such as Dove ‘Stop the Beauty Test’ and Clinic Plus ‘Meri Beti Strong.’ She also managed the global TRESemmé business from London.
Harman joined HUL in 2006 from Tata Administrative Services and continues to drive innovation and growth in Unilever's Beauty and Wellbeing division.

Appointed Chief Digital Officer of HUL in January 2024, Arun Neelakantan has been instrumental in guiding HUL’s digital transformation and growth strategy across South Asia. He has established the foundation for HUL’s digital agenda throughout the value chain and identified critical growth opportunities. Under his leadership, HUL has accelerated its transition to an intelligent enterprise by enhancing digital capabilities, fostering cross-functional ecosystems, and consolidating core competencies. Neelakantan's holistic approach to media, marketing, and commerce has uncovered specific opportunities in emerging channels and businesses, driving HUL’s and Unilever’s growth agenda in the region.

Vipul Mathur will join HUL’s Management Committee as Executive Director of Personal Care on June 1, 2024. A graduate of the Indian Institute of Management – Calcutta, Mathur began his career at HUL in 2003 as a management trainee.
With over 20 years of experience in customer development and marketing across the nutrition, personal care, and home care sectors, Mathur has demonstrated exceptional leadership. His successful tenure in the laundry segment from 2012 to 2017 and again from 2020 to 2021 included leading Wheel’s rural and mobile marketing initiatives and launching India’s first mobile radio platform, Kan Khajura Teshan, which won a Cannes award. As Category Head, Mathur transformed the Liquids division, driving profitable and competitive growth. He also contributed to the Global Tea Leadership team, collaborating with international teams to secure new blends and create award-winning campaigns for Brooke Bond. In his recent role as Vice President for Modern Trade and eCommerce, Mathur strengthened HUL’s omnichannel strategy and advanced portfolio transformation in high-growth emerging channels.