Hindustan Unilever's (HUL) longest-serving non-executive chairman Harish Manwani has opted for retirement after holding the position for 13 years. He was made HUL's non-executive chairman in 2005 when he was also the first ever Chief Operating Officer of Unilever, the global FMCG giant. HUL said in a statement that Manwani will retire after the forthcoming AGM, following which CEO and Managing Director Sanjiv Mehta will take over as the Chairman and Managing Director. Mehta will also be reappointed as the CEO of the company. Since SEBI has decided to split the roles of Chairman and MD by April 2020, the HUL board will ensure the separation of the two positions by then, the statement said. Manwani joined the then Hindustan Lever Ltd in 1976 as a management trainee and rose to become the Chief Operating Officer of Unilever in 2011, retiring from that position in 2014. In his 42 years of service in the Unilever Group, he handled multiple responsibilities and is known for bringing in massive growth in the personal products category, which includes skincare, oral care, and laundry. "Harish leaves behind a legacy that few will be able to match," said CEO Mehta. He has lived the values that make HUL such a great company. I will personally miss his leadership and wise counsel."