From Rajshahi roots to helm of Unilever Bangladesh: The journey of CEO Ruhul Quddus Khan

From growing up in Rajshahi to studying at IIT Kanpur, one of India's premier institutes, and eventually leading one of the country's most influential consumer goods companies – the journey of Ruhul Quddus Khan, the newly appointed CEO and managing director of Unilever Bangladesh, is a story of rigour, discipline, humility, care and a lifelong commitment to learning.

Over nearly three decades at Unilever, he has been in many roles and has led teams in Bangladesh and abroad. Colleagues describe him as a leader who understands the business end-to-end – how a line runs, how a brand earns trust in a household, and how people come together to deliver impact.

A life-changing decision

Khan grew up in Rajshahi in a family where education and values were deeply rooted. After excelling in science, he secured a place at Buet – the dream of many aspiring engineers. Life, however, took a dramatic turn when he was selected to study at IIT Kanpur through an ICCR international programme.

"I will always credit my father for this," he reflects. "He understood the magnitude of the opportunity before I did."

Though computer science was rising in popularity, his fascination with how things work drew him to mechanical engineering – a choice he considers foundational to his thinking today. The rigour of problem-solving and systems understanding shaped the way he approaches both people and business.

He was encouraged to pursue a PhD in Japan, but chose a different path.

"I wanted to apply what I learned immediately – and take responsibility for my family," he says.

That decision set the tone for the rest of his career: grounded, accountable and focused on meaningful impact.

A handwritten application that opened the door

While preparing for a lecturer interview at Cuet, a friend mentioned a management trainee opening at Lever Brothers Bangladesh. With no printed CV at hand, he wrote his application by hand at a photocopy shop and submitted it at the Kalurghat factory.

He soon passed the written test and final interviews, earning a verbal confirmation on the same day.

"I joined right after my convocation," he recalls.

It was the beginning of a journey that would connect him deeply with Bangladeshi consumers through the brands he would help manufacture and deliver.

Factory-floor leadership

Khan's leadership philosophy began to form on the factory floor.

On his second or third day, a major breakdown occurred in the soap dryer. Despite the late hour, he asked to stay back and observe the full repair.

"That night showed me how passionate people are about their work," he says. "And how much you can learn simply by watching closely."

He developed mechanical intuition – diagnosing issues by sound or movement – but soon discovered something deeper: real leadership comes from understanding the people behind the machines.

"Those early years taught me solution-centred thinking," he says. "And that respecting frontline expertise earns commitment that can transform results."

These experiences built a leadership style shaped by attention to detail, respect for hands-on knowledge and curiosity about people.

Lessons from a broader market

A later assignment exposed him to a much larger and more complex operating environment, managing personal care manufacturing across 20 sites in the Indian market.

"It taught me to view a complex business as one integrated ecosystem," he says. "You need consistent and robust standards, transparency, alignment, sharp focus – but also an appreciation for diverse teams and contexts."

Leading across cultures sharpened his ability to unite people behind shared goals and make balanced decisions across cost, service and quality, keeping business objectives and priorities at the top.

Those lessons proved invaluable when he returned to Bangladesh, reinforcing manufacturing rigor and planning discipline, supplier coordination, building flexibility and resilience across the value chain – ensuring Unilever's brands remained consistently available for Bangladeshi consumers.

Stepping into senior leadership

Becoming a supply chain director at Unilever Bangladesh marked a pivotal transition – from leading functions to influencing the wider business.

"This was my first opportunity to connect operational decisions directly with what consumers' experience," he says.

He focused on improving alignment and interconnectedness across manufacturing, procurement, planning, logistics and digital transformation across these, and understanding how each decision shaped product quality, affordability, availability, service and building trust.

"I wanted to learn every part of the business that touches the consumer," he says. "To deliver world-class products, every link in the chain must work."

During Covid-19, this philosophy took on even deeper meaning. While steering the crisis management team for the company, he emphasised people's safety and well-being above everything else.

"When teams saw we genuinely cared, they responded with extraordinary ownership," he says.

The experience strengthened his belief that when people feel protected and respected, they go further than any target can push them.

Leadership philosophy

Khan's leadership rests on a few core principles that have guided him throughout his journey. He believes in recognising potential early and stretching people gently but firmly so they can grow with confidence. 

For him, leadership also requires making decisions with moral clarity and staying close to the frontline, where the real pulse of the organisation is felt. He often emphasises that a leader's team is their biggest strength, and therefore it is essential to invest in yourself and your team to build the right capabilities. 

At the same time, he believes ambition must always be balanced with disciplined execution to deliver meaningful results. "Leadership must remain human," he says. "Humility, reflection and learning from setbacks define true leaders."

Understanding consumers

Having grown up in Rajshahi and worked across the country, Khan carries a deep connection to Bangladesh and the people Unilever serves. He often speaks about the resilience and aspiration he sees across the country – especially beyond major cities.

"As a business, we are in people's homes every day," he says. "We must respond to changing lifestyles, pressures and aspirations with products that truly serve."

This understanding shapes his approach as CEO: building a company that is competitive, responsible and rooted in the everyday lives of Bangladeshi families.

The vision ahead

Looking ahead, Khan's priorities align with Unilever's global compass while remaining firmly grounded in Bangladesh's unique needs. A central focus is ensuring unmissable brand and product superiority by delivering clear superiority across brands and categories, supported by sharper consumer insight and market-making innovation. 

He is also committed to building future-fit, competitive operations by strengthening resilience, flexibility, digitisation and efficiency so that products remain consistently available for consumers. Equally important is fostering a people-first culture, empowering teams – especially young talent and women in STEM – through strong growth pathways and inclusive leadership. 

His agenda also places strong emphasis on purpose-led, sustainable growth, advancing circular economy initiatives, plastic reduction and community programmes that create long term positive impact. 

Alongside these priorities, he believes in partnership-driven progress, working closely with regulators, suppliers, distributors and academia to strengthen the broader ecosystem. At the heart of all these priorities is the company's purpose: brightening every day for all Bangladeshis.

A message to the next generation

Khan shares one piece of advice he believes can shape careers and lives: "Don't only love what you like. Learn to love what you do. That is how you grow beyond your boundaries."

From a handwritten application in a photocopy shop to leading one of Bangladesh's most influential companies, that philosophy has quietly defined his journey – and will guide the next chapter of Unilever Bangladesh as well.