Unilever New Zealand has announced three senior leadership appointments, with Nigel Melhuish, Keely Pipkin, and Sailen Mudaly taking on key roles within the company.
Nigel Melhuish has been appointed Head of Country NZ while continuing in his role as NZ Supply Chain Manager. He has been with Unilever for eight years and previously worked at Henkel for 12 years in roles including Head of Process and Systems APAC and ANZ Supply Chain Director.
“The New Zealand business has consistently delivered strong results. Last year marked a decade of consecutive growth, illustrating the strong position Unilever holds in New Zealand and its continued ability to delight Kiwis across the country,” said Melhuish.
Keely Pipkin will take on the role of Head of Sales NZ, joining Unilever from Nestlé Purina, where she was Head of Sales. She has held several sales and category positions across multinational companies in New Zealand and will officially begin her new role on 17 March 2025.
“I’m delighted to be joining the Unilever team. With an extensive portfolio of incredible brands, I’m really excited to get stuck into this new role,” said Pipkin.
Sailen Mudaly has been appointed Head of Country and Sales for Unilever’s NZ Ice Cream business. His appointment aligns with the planned separation of the Ice Cream division, announced earlier this year. Mudaly was previously General Manager of Sales at Essano Ltd and has held sales and marketing roles at Colgate-Palmolive and Reckitt in New Zealand.
“I’m incredibly excited to be joining the Ice Cream business at such a pivotal time. The next year will be about re-founding Ice Cream to create a world-leading, stand-alone business with greater flexibility and autonomy,” said Mudaly.
Unilever’s Ice Cream business is set to be separated by the end of 2025 through a demerger, with listings in Amsterdam, London, and New York. The company has stated that the decision aims to maximise shareholder returns and position the Ice Cream business for success as an independent entity.
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