Hindustan Unilever splits beauty and personal care division

MUMBAI: Hindustan Unilever (HUL) is bifurcating its beauty & personal care (BPC) division into dedicated businesses of beauty & well-being (B&W) and personal care (PC).

The BPC division's transition to B&W and PC will take effect from April 1, 2024. With sales of Rs 5,809 crore, BPC contributed 38% to the company's September quarter numbers - higher than home care and foods & refreshment.

The divisions will be headed by two executive directors - Harman Dhillon (43) for B&W and Kartik Chandrasekhar (48) for PC - both of whom will join the HUL management committee (MC) from April 1, 2024. Madhusudhan Rao, executive director, B&W and PC has decided to retire from the company.

Dhillon, who joined HUL in 2006, is currently India skincare head. Between 2015-16, she led the 'TRESemme' business as global brand director, based out of London. Chandrasekhar, on the other hand, is currently the global VP and head of oral care & skin cleansing for D&E markets.

Rohit Jawa, CEO and MD, HUL, said, "HUL has a track record of strong performance. As we embark on our next phase of growth and transformation, we will combine our scale and discipline with innovation and agility to serve our consumers even better and build a future-fit business. BPC continues to be a source of value creation for us. However, the business model, innovation rhythm and competitive landscape for both B&W and PC are diverging. The transition will allow us to bring more focus, and leverage our strong portfolio in both businesses. I am glad to have seasoned business leaders like Harman and Kartik to lead B&W and PC, respectively."

There has been growing focus on B&W and PC given the growth opportunities and consumer shifts in these categories globally.