Shazia Syed is a mother of two and enjoys golf – a sport not many women are fond of.
However Syed, like her interests in sports, has proven time and again that she can defy all gender norms. One such task is heading the Pakistani arm of the world’s largest consumer goods and foods giant Unilever. Syed is the Chief Executive Officer of Unilever Pakistan, which market sources say currently has more than Rs8,500 crore in sales.
In short, there is hardly any household in Pakistan, which doesn’t consume one of the products that come out of their factories, such is the influence of the company she heads in the lives of Pakistanis.
After completing her MBA from Clayton University, U.S., Syed joined Unilever in 1989 as a Management Trainee. In her 26-year tenure at the global FMCG giant, Syed has worked in almost all departments and divisions of the company such as Customer Development and Home & Personal Care to name a few.
Currently serving as the Chairperson and Chief Executive Officer of Unilever, Syed has represented her company in various parts of the world. From working as Business Unit Leader in Vietnam (2000-2003) to working as the Chairperson of Unilever Sri Lanka (2013 to 2016), Syed has worked her way up in the company.
On her return to Pakistan in 2009 Syed was commissioned into the Ice Cream Business for a brief period of one year.
She joined the Board of Directors of Unilever in April 2014 and was later got appointed as CEO of Unilever Pakistan in November 2015. In March 2016, Syed was given additional charge as the CEO of Unilever Pakistan Foods Limited – a listed subsidiary of Unilever Pakistan on the Pakistan Stock Exchange.
