Unilever expands HLL's chairman's job to Asia

The new assignment begins July 1, and Banga will continue to be non-executive chairman of the Hindustan Lever Limited (HLL) board.

Unlike previous promotions of top-level HLL executives, Banga will continue to be based in Mumbai, while managing his expanded 17-market remit, which covers Greater China, Japan, Korea, Australia, New Zealand, Southeast Asia, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, Nepal. India, also a part of this region, accounts for 30 per cent of Unilever's Asia business, and Banga will continue to be responsible for India.

Unilever has also restructured HLL, which will now operate with "considerable autonomy" as two separate divisions - HPC and foods under respective managing directors Arun Adhikari and S Ravindranath. Adhikari is presently executive director, personal products, and Ravindranath is currently executive director, beverages.

The two MDs, along with finance director D Sundaram and vice-chairman M K Sharma, will constitute a new management committee, which will run HLL's day-to-day business.