HUL shares rise 4% as D-Street cheers appointment of Priya Nair as MD & CEO

HUL share price rose 3.7 per cent in trade logging an intraday high at ₹2,500 per share after Priya Nair replaced Rohit Jawa as MD & CEO of Hindustan Unilever

Hindustan Unilever (HUL) share price gained 3.7 per cent in trade on Friday on BSE, logging an intraday high at ₹2,500 per share. At 9:21 AM, HUL shares were up 3.34 per cent at ₹2,489.45 per share on the BSE. In comparison, the BSE Sensex was down 0.34 per cent at 82,909.79. The company's market capitalisation stood at ₹5,86,340.5 crore. 

 

The 52-week high of the stock was at ₹3,034.5 per share and 52-week low of the stock was at ₹2,136 per share.   FOLLOW STOCK MARKET LATEST UPDATES TODAY LIVE

Why are HUL shares buzzing in trade? 

The buying interest on the counter came after the company announced Priya Nair as the new Managing Director & Chief Executive Officer (MD & CEO) of the company. 

 

"Based on the recommendation of the Nomination and Remuneration Committee, approved the appointment of Priya Nair as the MD & CEO of the Company for a term of 5 (five) consecutive years with effect from August 1, 2025, till July 31, 2030," the filing read. 

 

The development came after  Rohit Jawa stepped down as the MD & CEO of the company, effective July 31, 2025.  Analyst at Share.Market believe the stock surged as the market responded with optimism, reflecting confidence in Priya Nair's leadership and the strategic direction.  "The leadership transition marks a new phase for HUL. With Priya Nair at the helm, both investors and analysts are hopeful that the company will continue to grow and adapt in an ever-changing consumer environment. Her appointment is seen as a positive step toward strengthening HUL’s position in premium categories and unlocking fresh opportunities," said Om Ghawalkar, market analyst, Share.Market.

Who is Priya Nair?

Nair is the president of beauty and wellbeing at Unilever, London, and oversees a €13 billion portfolio that includes hair care, skincare, prestige beauty, and health and wellbeing brands across more than 20 countries. 

 

She was one of the first few Indian-origin women to hold the position globally of Unilever Leadership Executive in 2022. 

 

Her Unilever journey started in 1995, with varied roles across sales and marketing, home care, beauty and wellbeing, among others, through the years.

 

"Nair has consistently delivered business transformation through brand building, premiumisation, digital commerce, and purpose-led innovation. She is recognised as one of India’s most influential businesswomen," according to the company.   ALSO READ | TCS stock breaks near-term support post Q1 show, can dip another 5%; charts 

Previously, as Executive Director – Home Care (South Asia), Nair was said to turn around the business by driving sustainability, value innovation, and cost efficiencies. Her leadership resulted in margin improvement, volume recovery, and premium portfolio growth — setting a benchmark for category transformation in emerging markets. She is currently also a member of the Unilever Leadership Executive.

 

Nair is commerce graduate from Sydenham College, MBA from Symbiosis Institute of Business Management, Pune and has also completed executive education at Harvard Business School.

Why did Rohit Jawa step down?

In his letter to the company Rohit Jawa said that he had decided to pursue the next chapter in my personal and professional journey. 

 

"I am proud of my 37- year strong track record with Unilever including as leader of strategically significant markets over the last decade in Asia," he added.