Zakir Karim exits Unilever after two decades

After more than two decades at Unilever, Zakir Karim has announced his decision to move on from the company. Karim most recently served as vice president, functional nutrition, South Asia, and general manager for Horlicks and Boost.

Over his career at Unilever, Karim held senior leadership roles across South Asia and Europe. His responsibilities spanned nutrition, foods, tea, dressings and personal care categories, with assignments across India, France, Italy, Spain, Portugal, the Netherlands and wider European markets.

Before his India role, Karim was general manager for nutrition in Southern Europe and vice president for dressings across Europe, the Middle East and Turkey. He also led the Amora-Maille global business and previously served as vice president for foods and tea in France. Earlier roles included senior strategy and marketing leadership positions in Europe, category leadership for deodorants, and marketing leadership roles in Portugal.

Karim began his Unilever journey in Portugal in brand and category management roles before progressing through regional and global leadership positions. 

Announcing his exit on LinkedIn, Karim wrote: “After more than 20 years, it is time to close my chapter at Unilever. This is the company where I built my entire career across multiple countries and roles. It is where I grew professionally, developed my leadership, and shaped the person I am today. Over the years, I have had the privilege of working with many inspiring leaders, colleagues, and teams who supported my growth, challenged me, and became great friends. I am truly grateful to everyone who has been part of this journey. Thank you for the opportunities, the trust, and the memories.  Stay tuned for the next chapter.”