Hajar Alafifi assumes duties as Chairperson of Unilever Sri Lanka
Wi t h effect f rom February 1, Hajar Alafifi has assumed duties as Chairperson of Unilever Sri Lanka and joins the Unilever South Asia Leadership Team. She is taking the helm from her predecessor, Carl Cruz who has been appointed as Manag i n g D i re c t o r, Unilever West Africa Multi Country Operation (MCO) - Ghana and Nigeria.
Ms. Alafifi arrived in Sri Lanka from London, where she last served as the Global Brand Vi c e President Household Cleaners and the Dishwash business, home to the iconic brand Sunlight. With close to two decades of Unilever experience in diverse markets such as Morocco, South Africa, Netherlands and London, Ms. Alafifi has pioneered the strategy to drive sustainable growth on many brands for Unilever, the company said in a media announcement.
Speaking about her new role, Ms. Alafifi said, “Sri Lanka is a significantly important market for us and this goes hand in hand with the exciting times of new development for the country. When analysing the key performance indicators of Unilever Sri Lanka over the last few years, it is evident that the Unilever Sri Lanka team has worked tirelessly to ensure the growth of the business and delivered exceptional results. Looking forward to the future, we will harness our shared visions to capitalise on the current market situations present in Sri Lanka. I am eager to start the process of energizing our team, building on the gains we have made and bringing to life our vision of improving the lives of Sri Lankan consumers.”
The new Unilever Sri Lanka chief is also a passionate advocate for diversity, equality and inclusion in its holistic dimension. As a result, she has a burning purpose to change the status quo on the Women’s Agenda. Standing as a true propellant for talent, her belief in leading with impact is expected to actively mentor the team at Unilever Sri Lanka. This will no doubt, have a direct result on her drive to enable business transformation while disrupting the status quo, the statement said.
Unilever Sri Lanka is one of the biggest FMCG companies in Sri Lanka, with 29 market leading brands in categories such as Home Care, Personal Care and Foods. The company was established in Sri Lanka in 1938 with brands such as Sunlight, Lux and Pears Rose.