40 Under 40 2023: Nhan Mai Ngoc, Unilever

Nhan Mai Ngoc

Skin Cleansing Vietnam Category lead & SEA Liquid Development lead
Unilever
Vietnam

Coming from a family with a long-running entrepreneurial spirit, Nhan Mai Ngoc was always destined to be an explorer at heart. Spending his childhood years at Singapore's Raffles Institution, Nhan was an exceptional, straight-A student in both science and humanities and spent his free time volunteering with the likes of the Singapore Humanitarian Red Cross and Vietnam Youth Union. 

After attending Singapore's National University and Australia's Curtin University to gain a double degree in Finance and Marketing (graduating as valedictorian), he was selected as Vietnam's National Youth Leader, leading a group of 20 Vietnamese talents in a 52-day cultural exchange organised by the Japanese Cabinet, named The Ship of South East Asia & Japan Youth Program (SSEAYP.)

From there, Nhan found his way to the top tier Boston Consulting Group (BCG) as a business analyst, Nhan has fully committed to Unilever under the Future Leader Program, with a blazing trail of breakthrough achievements and promotions—owning to his unique adeptness into liaison, business growth, marketing and consumer-centric communication.

Nhan's journey at Unilever began in 2017, when he joined the FMCG giant as an assistant brand manager for OMO Core. Since, he’s risen through the ranks with fervour, now leading the Skin Cleansing Vietnam Category for Vietnam and Southeast Asia Liquid Development lead. Spearheading strategies for brands worth over $100 million, Nhan has achieved a stunning 30% Category annual growth rate for Lifebuoy Vietnam between 2019 to 2023. Most notably, Lifebuoy Vietnam's shower gel shares have surged by +270 basis points, reaching 23.3%, solidifying its position as the leading brand in the category, alongside hand washing liquids who have achieved an impressive 85.4% market share. Nhan's impactful innovations, such as the Lifebuoy Natural range and Dove upgrade have also resulted in significant market growth and dominance. The Lifebuoy Natural range became the number one shower gel on every Lazada’s Mega Day, growing 360% year-on-year across e-commerce platforms. 

As the youngest category lead at Unilever, Nhan's leadership extends beyond business success. He is a dedicated mentor, influencing not only colleagues, but also contributing to the retention of talent within Unilever. Nhan's impact has resonated externally as well, having represented Unilever at industry events such as the Mobile Marketing Association’s (MMA) CMO Talk conference in 2023, and serving as a judge for prestigious marketing contests in Vietnam and Southeast Asia.

Beyond business, Nhan is a passionate advocate for social causes, notably championing LGBT+ rights in Vietnam. His purposeful campaigns, including #Safety4All 2022 and initiatives during the Fight against COVID 2022, reflect his commitment to making a positive impact on society. With an unwavering desire to drive purposeful campaigns and a unique blend of skills, Nhan Mai Ngoc has not only achieved remarkable business results, but has also established himself as a standout figure in the marketing industry, earning the title of a "marketer-as-celebrity" amongst young leaders at Unilever.