HLL announces key appointments

Mr Douglas Baillie, as the CEO, will head the MC. The new members inducted into the Management Committee are Mr Sanjay Dube as Executive Director-Sales & Customer Development, Mr Dhaval Buch as Executive Director – Supply Chain, Mr Anoop Mathur as Executive Director – Speciality Exports and Mr Nitin Paranjpe as Executive Director – Home & Personal Care. All the appointments will be effective March 1, 2006.

Mr MK Sharma will continue as Vice Chairman with operational responsibilities for HR, Legal, Secretarial, Corporate Communications and Corporate Affairs. Mr Sundaram will continue as Finance Director and Mr S Ravindranath as Managing Director of Foods. They will be a part of the Management Committee reporting to Mr Douglas Baillie.

Mr Sanjiv Kakkar has been appointed as Executive Director – Foods, responsible for marketing and strategy, with effect from March 1, 2006. He will succeed Mr S Ravindranath, on his retirement.

Mr Dalip Sehgal will continue as Executive Director – New Ventures and Marketing Services and will report to Mr Douglas Baillie.

The business directors will have Profit & Loss responsibility for their businesses to provide for a decentralized and simplified decision making structure. A single chain of command through the CEO will ensure the benefit of synergies across businesses. Functional directors will ensure excellence in functions and capability building.

Announcing the appointments, Mr Harish Manwani, President, Unilever Asia & Africa and Chairman, HLL, said, “The appointments are a part of our ongoing efforts to leveraging the scale and size of our organization, to bring more focus on our ‘Go-to-market’ & brand building capabilities and to build functional excellence across the organization. Together, these will ensure the company’s competitiveness and sustained profitable growth.”

“The business will remain focused on market leadership, cost leadership and thought leadership,” Mr Manwani added.

These announcements are a part of the process of simplifying the leadership structure and follow-up on the earlier appointments announced on December 16, 2005. Mr Manwani had announced the appointment of Mr Douglas Baillie as the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Hindustan Lever Limited, India and Mr Arun Adhikari as Chairman, Unilever Japan, with effect from March 1, 2006.

About HLL:

HLL is India's largest Fast Moving Consumer Goods company, touching the lives of two out of three Indians. HLL's mission is to "add vitality to life" through its presence in over 20 distinct categories in Home & Personal Care Products and Foods & Beverages. The company meets everyday needs for nutrition, hygiene, and personal care, with brands that help people feel good, look good and get more out of life. For more information visit www.hll.com

Executive Profiles

Dhaval Buch

Joined HLL as a Management Trainee in June 1984. He has held a series of assignments in Manufacturing, Projects and New Ventures including a stint with Unilever in U.K. during 1993-95. Was a member of Project Millennium, a key organizational initiative In June 2005, he was appointed as Vice President - Technical (HPC).

Nitin Paranjpe

Joined HLL as a Management Trainee in 1987. He has worked across levels in both Sales and Marketing functions. Was a member of Project Millennium, a key organizational initiative. During his stint in Unilever, London in 2000-2001, he worked closely with the Unilever Executive Committee. He returned to India as the head of innovation for Fabric Wash and HHC. In May 2004, he was appointed as Vice President, Laundry & Home Care.

Sanjiv Kakkar

Joined HLL as a Management Trainee in 1984. He has worked in various Sales & Marketing positions before assuming the role of General Manager – Sales and Customer Development for Personal Products. In May 2004, he was appointed as Vice President, Oral & Hair Care.

Sanjay Dube

Joined HLL as a Direct Recruit in 1993. He has worked in various Sales & Marketing assignments. His marketing experience spans across categories including Exports, Personal Products and Fabric Wash. He has also had key stints as Category Head of Mass Markets and Head Market & Consumer Development of Detergents. He was appointed Vice President, Sales & Customer Development (HPC) in May 2004.

Anoop Mathur

Joined HLL as a Management Trainee in 1970. He has worked across various Technical & Manufacturing positions. Seconded as Technical Director to Unilever South Africa during 1994-99. He was made Executive Director, Chemicals & Agribusiness in 2000. In 2002 he took over responsibility for Export operations.