GC Influencers
Most Influential GCs - India
Dev Bajpai of Unilever plc.
Dev Bajpai is described by market sources as “a very thoughtful and measured individual who is central to Unilever,” who is considered “very influential and well respected.” He joined the company in 2010 from ICICI Venture Funds, where he was a senior director for legal and compliance matters. At Hindustan Unilever he is Company Secretary, responsible for legal and corporate affairs, and in 2017 was appointed executive director as part of the eight-member board, a sign of his considerable clout within the company.
Under his leadership, the legal team has advised on a number of major transactions and well as significant disputes, most recently including its challenge before the High Court of Delhi of a de-mand of INR535 Crores levied by National Anti-profiteering Authority under the Central Goods and Services Tax Act, 2017. Sources praise him as a “very good generalist, who is good at handling both corporate and litigation matters.” Interviewees also remark upon his impressive oversight of the team, noting that “the way he handles his team internally, his approach is very pragmatic.”
Bajpai also maintains a strong focus on corporate governance and ethics and is recognised as an influential figure with a strong academic background. He holds a law degree from Delhi University and is a fellow member of the Institute of Company Secretaries, who also attended an Executive Program for Corporate Counsel conducted by Harvard Law School. In his over three decades of experience he has also worked with other major corporations such as Maruti Udyog, Marico and Indian Hotels Company.