Unilever has appointed Abhinav Ravikumar as Chief Marketing Officer, Personal Care India, reinforcing its focus on brand-led growth, innovation, and digital-first execution in one of its most competitive and strategically important markets. A Unilever veteran since 2011, Ravikumar steps into the role at a time when personal care brands are navigating rapid shifts in consumer behaviour, channel mix, and expectations around purpose and performance.
Ravikumar brings deep, end-to-end experience across global brand leadership, innovation pipelines, and e-commerce transformation. He previously led Lux and Lifebuoy at a global level, stewarding two of Unilever’s most iconic brands through portfolio renewal, communication evolution, and relevance in emerging markets. His stint heading India e-commerce further sharpened his understanding of platform economics, performance marketing, and omnichannel growth.
Notably, Ravikumar has also shaped strategy, product development, and communication for a €250M+ South Asia portfolio spanning home and hygiene categories. This combination of scale exposure and execution depth positions him well to manage the growing complexity of India’s personal care market, where mass brands must now compete with digital-native, premium, and purpose-led challengers.
From a leadership perspective, the appointment reflects Unilever’s continued preference for homegrown talent with global context. As the personal care category evolves, the challenge is no longer just brand awareness, but building salience across fragmented media, driving trial in e-commerce, and sustaining trust at scale.
Ravikumar’s elevation signals a sharper integration of brand building and digital growth a necessary shift as personal care marketing moves from linear storytelling to continuous consumer engagement. For Unilever India, this leadership move strengthens its ability to balance legacy scale with modern marketing agility.
