Global fast-moving consumer goods (FMCG) major Unilever is set to explore the possibility of establishing a Global Capability Centre (GCC) in Hyderabad, following discussions with the Telangana government delegation at the World Economic Forum (WEF) 2026 in Davos.
High-Level Engagement at WEF 2026
The discussions took place when the ‘Telangana Rising’ delegation, led by Chief Minister A. Revanth Reddy, met Willem Uijen, Chief Supply Chain & Operations Officer of Unilever, during the WEF held in Davos, Switzerland.
According to an official statement from the Telangana government, the meeting focused on Unilever’s potential plans to set up a GCC in the state.
Hyderabad Positioned as a GCC Hub
During the meeting, the Chief Minister highlighted Hyderabad’s rapid transformation into a global hub for Global Capability Centres. Responding to this, Willem Uijen stated that Unilever would be happy to explore setting up a GCC in Hyderabad.
Telangana’s Business Ecosystem
Minister for IT and Industries, D. Sridhar Babu, noted that Hyderabad already hosts GCCs of several FMCG companies, including McDonald’s, Heineken, and Costco. He described Unilever as a valued partner for Telangana and emphasized the state’s policy continuity and fast-paced approval and licensing processes for businesses.
Broader Areas of Collaboration
The Telangana delegation, which also included Revenue Minister Ponguleti Srinivas Reddy, invited Unilever to explore FMCG manufacturing opportunities in Telangana’s industrial parks.
Discussions were also held on aligning Unilever’s climate, water-positive, and plastic-reduction commitments with Telangana’s initiatives in renewable energy, water stewardship, and the circular economy.
Additional Davos Engagements
Apart from Unilever, the Telangana delegation also met the global leadership of Royal Philips. During the meeting, Jan Willem-Scheijgrond, Vice President and Global Head of Government and Public Affairs at Royal Philips, expressed interest in partnering with Telangana in the AI space.
The delegation also briefed Philips leadership on the newly launched Telangana Next-Gen Life Sciences Policy 2026–2030, which aims to build a USD 250 billion life sciences economy by 2030 and extends benefits to medical electronics and allied sectors.
About WEF 2026
The 56th Annual Meeting of the World Economic Forum is being held from January 19 to 23, 2026, in Davos-Klosters, bringing together nearly 3,000 participants from over 130 countries under the theme “A Spirit of Dialogue.”
Visit Our News section and follow us on LinkedIn and Twitter
Read more full news: Here
