MUMBAI: Private equity firm Kedaara Capital has appointed Nitin Paranjpe as chief mentor and operating partner, tapping into the expertise of one of the most seasoned executives in India’s consumer goods sector.
Paranjpe, who spent nearly four decades at Unilever, brings formidable leadership experience across operations, transformation, and global category management.
He began his career at the Anglo-Dutch FMCG giant in 1987 and went on to serve as CEO of Hindustan Unilever from 2008 to 2013—one of its youngest ever—and later held senior global roles including president of home care, president of foods and refreshment, and chief operating officer.
During his tenure, Paranjpe spearheaded multiple high-impact initiatives, from doubling business performance at HUL, to leading large-scale integrations and driving digitisation at Unilever globally. Most recently, he served as chief people and transformation officer at Unilever, where he led one of the group’s most ambitious restructurings in two decades.
In his new role, Paranjpe will work closely with Kedaara’s sector teams—especially in consumer and allied verticals—providing operational insight on both existing and prospective investments. He will also advise Kedaara’s senior leadership on strategic initiatives across the firm.
Paranjpe currently serves as non-executive chairman of HUL, and sits on the boards of global firms including Heineken and Infosys, further underlining the stature he brings to the table.
His appointment signals Kedaara’s intent to deepen operational value creation as a key lever in its investment thesis across India’s high-growth consumer landscape.
