Sam Kini

Part of the IT Leaders 100 - a list of the most influential IT leaders in the UK in 2026.

Sam Kini is Chief Digital and Technology Officer at Unilever, where she leads the company’s global digital and technology strategy. In this role she drives enterprise-wide transformation to support growth, simplify operations and build resilience, with a strong focus on applying AI across the business.

Sam joined Unilever in 2021 and has since held several senior roles, including Global CIO and Chief Information Security Officer, with responsibility for enterprise architecture, technology delivery and cybersecurity.

Sam has led major modernisation efforts, including a large-scale shift to cloud-based infrastructure to streamline systems and enable future innovation. Before Unilever, she held C-level technology roles at easyJet and Telenet, overseeing IT, data, digital and transformation programmes across international operations.

With more than 20 years’ experience, Sam is recognised for linking technology strategy directly to business outcomes and advancing the use of data, AI and digital platforms at scale.