Mehta, who turned HUL into a bellwether consumer company, is stepping down later this month
After more than 30 years at Unilever, 21 of which were as CEO in different parts of the world, and 10 of which were as the top boss of Hindustan Unilever (HUL), Sanjiv Mehta will be stepping down later this month. A true captain of industry, here are five lessons from the road he has travelled:
“I went and told my boss at the time, ‘I want three weeks leave.’ His first question to me was, ‘Are you getting married?’ I said, ‘No. I will be at the factory if you need me.’”
Mehta spent that entire time on the factory floor, understanding the business of chemicals and plastics—the terminology, the functioning, the need. “I would only go home to take a shower,” he said.
“There is no shortcut to detail,” said Mehta who went on to head the chemicals and plastics division for Union Carbide before moving on to a sales and marketing role within the company.
Mehta was then asked to move to Bangladesh where the Unilever’s business was struggling. “I almost didn’t take it up because the business was really struggling. No one wants to join a losing business. But my wife said, ‘When else will you get a chance to turn around a failing business. And if you do it well, new opportunities will open,’” said Mehta. He joined as commercial director, turned around the losing business and rose to become chairman and managing director of Unilever Bangladesh. Sure enough, new doors opened: Mehta served as CEO of Unilever’s business in the Philippines, as well as chairman of Unilever’s North Africa and Middle East business. In 2013, he was asked to lead the India business as the first “outsider” as he calls himself, as he had never worked at the India business prior to taking on the top job.
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According to Mehta, HUL’s purpose drive culture and the values it stands for enables it to consistently attract and produce managers of the highest quality.
“So long as our bench strength remains strong, our employer brand remains strong, so long as we can attract the best talent, it doesn’t bother me when some of our best people leave us and find opportunities elsewhere,” he said.