Brands
Unilever appoints Reema Jain as chief information officer
AI-driven transformation takes centre stage as Jain steps up
MUMBAI: Unilever has appointed Reema Jain as its new chief information officer, signalling a sharper push towards AI-led transformation across the business.
Based in Bengaluru, Jain steps into the role after serving as global vice president digital technology and site lead for Unilever’s global capability center in India. Her appointment marks both a homecoming and a strategic move, placing a seasoned insider at the helm of the company’s global technology agenda.
“Thrilled to step into the role of chief information officer at Unilever,” Jain said in a statement. “This is a powerful moment to accelerate how AI and technology will shape and power our business. I am a true believer that technology can be a powerful force for transformation, for people, for teams, for the way we work and create impact at scale.”
With nearly two decades of experience spanning ERP modernisation, digital supply chains, cloud transformation and enterprise architecture, Jain brings a rare blend of operational rigour and digital ambition.
Before returning to Unilever, she served as chief information and digital officer at Hero MotoCorp, where she spearheaded a sweeping digital overhaul. From building a platform-product structure to launching direct-to-customer plays and a finance aggregator platform, she turned technology into a revenue engine rather than a back-office utility.
She also held the role of chief digital officer at Vodafone Idea Limited, where she helped shape the company’s transition from telco to techco, crafting a digital roadmap designed to unlock new value streams.
Jain’s earlier tenure at Unilever saw her lead digital integration and ERP application management globally, overseeing business-critical SAP systems supporting the company’s multi-billion euro turnover. Her work on API-first platforms and cloud-enabled operating models laid much of the groundwork for the agility the business now seeks to scale with AI.
Her career began at GE, where she rose through roles in oracle technology leadership, operational excellence and lean six sigma, building the foundation of process discipline that continues to underpin her digital transformation philosophy.
Industry observers see her appointment as part of a broader shift across consumer goods companies, where CIOs are no longer simply custodians of systems but architects of intelligence, insight and innovation.
For Unilever, the message is clear. Technology is not just supporting the business. It is shaping it. And with Jain at the controls, the company is betting that AI will move from pilot projects to enterprise-wide impact, faster than ever.
Brands
Kwality Wall’s reports standalone losses following strategic HUL demerger
Ice cream major faces Rs 64 crore Ebitda loss amid commodity inflation and muted Q3 sales
MUMBAI: Kwality Wall’s (India) Limited (KWIL) has released its first set of financial results as a standalone entity, revealing a challenging start to its independent journey. Following its successful demerger from Hindustan Unilever Limited (HUL) on 1st December 2025 and its subsequent listing on 16th February 2026, the company is navigating a transition period marked by structural changes and high input costs.
For the quarter ended 31st December 2025, the company reported revenue of Rs 222 crores. Despite the revenue base, the bottom line was impacted by several factors, resulting in an Ebitda loss of Rs 64.2 crores. When calculated on a Pre-IND AS 116 basis, the Ebitda loss stood at Rs 83.8 crores.
Organic Sales Growth (OSG) declined by 6.5 per cent year-on-year during the quarter. Volume growth, however, saw a marginal increase of 1.2 per cent. The company reported a gross margin of 41.5 per cent. Additionally, exceptional expenses amounting to Rs 94 crores were recorded, primarily linked to non-recurring costs during the transition phase.
Performance across portfolios and channels was mixed. Within the impulse portfolio, brands such as Magnum and Cornetto recorded mid-single digit volume growth, indicating steady demand in on-the-go consumption. However, the in-home portfolio, which includes take-home packs, experienced muted consumption. The company is planning a relaunch of this category with improved offerings ahead of the 2026 season.
Quick commerce (Q-Com) continued to emerge as a strong growth driver, delivering robust double-digit growth during the quarter. Meanwhile, the company also expanded its physical distribution network by increasing the number of company-owned cabinets across markets.
Margin pressure during the quarter was driven by a combination of one-off factors and broader cost inflation. Gross margins were impacted by around 600 basis points due to trade investments made for stock liquidation. Additionally, cocoa price inflation contributed to another 400 basis points of pressure on margins.
Deputy managing director Chitrank Goel attributed the muted performance partly to prolonged monsoons and transitional challenges linked to the GST framework. Operating expenses also increased as the company invested in establishing its standalone supply chain, operational systems and corporate infrastructure following the demerger.
Looking ahead, the management remains focused on a volume-driven growth strategy. To restore profitability, the company has initiated a cost productivity programme aimed at reducing non-consumer-facing costs. It is also working on building regional manufacturing networks to optimise logistics expenses and improve operational efficiency.
The commodity outlook for the near term remains mixed. Dairy prices are expected to remain firm due to tight supply conditions and rising fodder costs. Sugar prices may also move higher following increases in the Minimum Selling Price (MSP). While cocoa prices have moderated recently, currency depreciation has offset some of the potential cost relief for the company.
