Hindustan Unilever (HUL) has appointed industry veteran Niranjan Gupta as its new Chief Financial Officer and Executive Director, marking a notable return to the organisation where he began his career. The move reinforces HUL’s long-standing focus on strategic continuity, leadership depth and future-ready transformation across India’s consumer goods landscape.
Gupta joins HUL with 30 years of global experience cutting across fast-moving consumer goods, metals and mining, and automotive industries. His professional journey includes two decades at Unilever, where he held key finance and supply chain roles across geographies, giving him a deep understanding of the company’s operating framework and consumer-centric culture.
He later moved to Hero MotoCorp, first as Chief Financial Officer and subsequently as Chief Executive Officer, where he led one of the country’s most prominent automotive companies through a phase of accelerated transformation. During his tenure, Hero achieved record revenue and profitability, launched the HOS 2030 strategy, expanded its electric vehicle and premium portfolio, and strengthened partnerships within the mobility ecosystem. His strategic direction enabled the company to sharpen its competitiveness at a time of rapid industry disruption.
Gupta has also contributed significantly at the board level, with leadership roles at Ather Energy and HMCL Colombia, further broadening his exposure to emerging technologies and global market dynamics.
Recognised for his inclusive leadership style grounded in the Enable, Empower, Energize philosophy, he is credited with building high-performance teams and organisational cultures anchored in clarity, accountability and innovation.
For HUL, one of India’s most influential consumer goods companies, Gupta’s return comes at a critical moment. As the company navigates evolving consumer behaviour, supply chain shifts, digital acceleration and sustainability imperatives, his cross-sector experience positions him to provide strategic financial direction and reinforce operational resilience for the decade ahead.
The appointment signals continuity with a forward-looking agenda, strengthening HUL’s leadership bench as it aims to sustain market leadership in an increasingly competitive environment.
