Hindustan Unilever (HUL) on Thursday announced a leadership change, appointing Niranjan Gupta as its chief financial officer – designate (CFO) and member of its management committee, effective September 1. Gupta will take over from Ritesh Tiwari as executive director, finance & CFO, HUL and join the HUL Board from November 1, subject to necessary approvals. He will report to HUL CEO & MD Priya Nair. Tiwari will move to London as global head of M&A and treasury at Unilever, the company said. His appointment is also effective November 1.
Niranjan Gupta’s Return and Diverse Expertise
Gupta, who began his career with HUL, will return to the company after nearly a decade. He previously spent three years at Vedanta and later joined Hero MotoCorp in 2017 as CFO, before becoming its CEO in 2023. At Hero MotoCorp, he was credited with strengthening financial health, shaping long-term strategy, and forging partnerships, including with Harley Davidson.
Tiwari, who took over as HUL CFO in 2021, steered the company through the pandemic, led acquisitions and portfolio realignments, and oversaw the demerger of HUL’s ice cream business into Kwality Walls (India).
Ritesh Tiwari’s Legacy and Global Elevation
Commenting on the leadership change, Nair said: “I would like to thank Ritesh for his leadership and 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.”
Both Gupta and Tiwari began their careers with HUL over 25 years ago. Gupta held various leadership positions in the company and brings strong experience across finance, mergers and acquisitions, supply chain, and strategic roles in diverse industries, HUL said. Tiwari is expected to bring his HUL experience to the management table at Unilever.