ROHIT JAWA
Chairman and CEO Unilever Philippines
R ohit Jawa is a success story; a source of inspiration for any individual who dreams to climb the proverbial ladder to the top of his company. The Unilever Philippines chairman began his career in the multinational organization almost three decades ago as a management trainee. He has since held diverse functions in the organization, which maximized his marketing skills and management savvy in at least five countries — India, Vietnam, Thailand, Singapore, and now, the Philippines.
It was in 2012 when Jawa was tasked to lead Unilever Philippines, a business that already has a strong legacy and roots among Filipinos. The challenge was to turn something great into something even greater. Guided by the values of the company, he responded to the challenge by engaging the workforce to rediscover their greatness, and remain focused in improving the lives of the Filipino people.
Jawa understood the value of communication in championing the company’s sustainability business model and bringing the best out of his people. In the first six months of his leadership, he sought and gained the support of the leadership team and employees through the “Rediscover Our Greatness” campaign, which emphasized on three goals: consistent growth performance; building repeatable models; and embracing being Pinoy.
Walking the talk, Jawa was a catalyst in inculcating a culture in which employee performance is aligned with the company’s values. He did face-to-face discussions, as well as other channels — newsletters, e-mails, corporate TV, and events.
He wanted his team to be motivated by doing good, with a clear understanding of the company’s mission and their role within it, while also doing well in realizing their goals, from its dynamic growth agenda to its Sustainable Living Plan.
Jawa’s approach proved effective, and now he’s on Phase II of his campaign, which highlights the journey of Unilever towards remaining the industry leader in the next 100 years, with the theme “Unbeatable Philippines.”