Sanjiv Mehta

About Sanjiv Mehta

Sanjiv Mehta is best known in the Danone context as an independent member of the Board of Directors and a member of the Audit Committee. He joined Danone’s Board effective July 1, 2023, bringing long-standing expertise in consumer goods, international management, and Asian markets. Danone presented his appointment as part of its board renewal process, emphasizing his deep sector knowledge and broad global experience. Mehta holds a commerce degree from Nagpur University, is a member of the Institute of Chartered Accountants of India, and completed the Advanced Management Program at Harvard Business School. He began his career in 1983 at Union Carbide in India, where he worked across finance, audit, and sales. In 1992, he joined Unilever in Dubai as Group Commercial Manager and later took on increasingly senior roles across emerging markets. He served as Commercial Director of Unilever Bangladesh Limited and became its Chairman and Managing Director in 2002. In 2007, he was appointed Chairman and CEO of Unilever Philippines, and in 2008 he moved to Unilever North Africa and Middle East, overseeing operations across 20 countries. From 2013 to 2023, Mehta led Unilever’s South Asia businesses, including Hindustan Unilever Limited, Unilever’s listed Indian subsidiary and one of the country’s largest FMCG companies. In 2019, while continuing to lead South Asia, he also joined the Unilever Leadership Executive, Unilever’s global executive board, as President South Asia. Under his leadership, HUL delivered substantial growth, including a doubling of turnover, a strong improvement in profitability, and a significant increase in market capitalization. Danone has highlighted these achievements as evidence of his ability to drive performance, build capabilities, and support long-term value creation. Beyond corporate leadership, he has also held prominent industry and advisory positions, including President of FICCI and roles with academic and business bodies in India.