Nitin Paranjpe brings one of the most expansive leadership journeys in modern Indian business. Across 37 years with Unilever, he led through every layer of the enterprise, beginning as a management trainee at Hindustan Unilever in 1987 and rising through sales, marketing and operations to become CEO & Executive Vice President for South Asia at just 44. He went on to shape Unilever globally as President of Home Care, President of Foods & Refreshment, Chief Operating Officer, and later as Chief People & Transformation Officer, guiding both business performance and human transformation at scale.
He now serves as Non-Executive Chairman of Hindustan Unilever, Independent Director at Infosys, and a member of the Supervisory Board and Sustainability & Responsibility Committee at Heineken N.V., while contributing to education and innovation through advisory roles. This conversation explores the beliefs and experiences that shaped him, and what it means to steward institutions with clarity, authenticity and soul.
Nitin Paranjpe brings one of the most expansive leadership journeys in modern Indian business. Across 37 years with Unilever, he led through every layer of the enterprise, beginning as a management trainee at Hindustan Unilever in 1987 and rising through sales, marketing and operations to become CEO & Executive Vice President for South Asia at... Read more
Episodes(2)
When an organisation roots itself in the rhythm of a nation, it becomes part of its story. In this episode, Nitin Paranjpe reflects on the foundational beliefs that shaped Hindustan Unilever into more than a company: a national institution built...
What does a leader owe people when audacity meets constraint? Nitin Paranjpe maps a leadership life where belonging, humility and one radical idea, A vs R, create the conditions for breakthrough. From early days of “prove you belong” to sleepless...
Anupal hosts The Leadership Equation Podcast with a practitioner’s lens on how real businesses are built, scaled, and sustained through cycles of growth and disruption. With over two decades of experience across technology, engineering, media, and digital payments organisations, he brings a grounded understanding of what it takes to translate ambition into execution. The podcast reflects his belief that enduring enterprises are shaped not only by strategy and markets, but by the often-invisible interplay of people, culture, and capability that determines whether decisions truly compound over time. Through unscripted, long-form conversations with institution builders and senior leaders, Anupal explores how organisations create competitive advantage, stay relevant, and build lasting value. The Leadership Equation is where business reality meets the human force behind it.
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