HUL appoints Bobby Parikh Independent Director on its board

Boards of large consumer companies are increasingly looking for voices that understand both regulation and rapid transformation. Hindustan Unilever Limited has taken a clear step in that direction with a new addition to its leadership structure.

Effective from one December twenty twenty five, HUL has appointed Bobby Parikh Independent Director for a five year term. The move brings a seasoned advisor with decades of experience in finance, policy and business restructuring into the center of strategic decision making at one of India most influential consumer goods players.

Bobby Parikh profile and experience

Parikh career has been defined by his work at the intersection of regulation, capital and business ambition. Over the years, he has advised Indian and multinational companies as they navigated shifts in the policy and tax environment, often during periods of structural change in the economy.

His current portfolio includes strategic advisory roles with large corporations and board positions at companies such as Infosys, Biocon and Indostar Capital. Across these mandates, his remit has typically involved helping leadership teams align growth plans with evolving rules, investor expectations and complex risk landscapes.

He is also well known for his contributions to the professional services and consulting ecosystem. Parikh co founded BMR Advisors, led Ernst and Young India as chief executive, and served as country managing partner at Arthur Andersen. These roles placed him close to both promoters and institutional investors, giving him a wide view of how global capital looks at Indian opportunity.

How does this appointment support HUL next phase

For a company of HUL scale, governance and continuity are as important as innovation on the shelf. By bringing in Bobby Parikh Independent Director, the board is signalling the importance of experienced oversight in areas such as financial strategy, regulatory compliance and risk management.

Nitin Paranjpe, non executive chairman of HUL, has underlined this in his comments, pointing to Parikh blend of financial acumen and regulatory insight. The expectation is that his guidance will help the company steer through complex policy changes while continuing to invest in growth and transformation.

The appointment also reinforces a larger pattern in Indian corporate boards, where independent directors are expected to be active advisors rather than symbolic overseers. With Parikh background in advising private equity funds, institutional investors and business owners, his presence is likely to bring an additional layer of scrutiny and constructive challenge to strategic discussions.

What should companies know about choosing independent directors

For organisations thinking about their own boards, this move highlights a few useful principles

• Look for leaders who have seen multiple cycles of reform and disruption
• Prioritise experience that spans both domestic and multinational contexts
• Value the ability to translate complex regulation into practical business choices
• Seek voices who can balance investor expectations with long term resilience

Parikh academic foundation is in commerce, and he is a qualified chartered accountant, a combination that supports this blend of financial depth and practical business understanding.

With the appointment of Bobby Parikh Independent Director, Hindustan Unilever is reinforcing its commitment to strong governance and informed strategic oversight. The addition of a seasoned advisor with deep exposure to policy, finance and transformation signals that the company intends to match its market scale with equally rigorous leadership at the board table.

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