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UnileverAnnouncement

30/01/2023 07:00

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RNS Number : 2268O  Unilever PLC  30 January 2023

 

London, 30 January 2023

 

Unilever appoints Hein Schumacher as new CEO

Unilever today announced the appointment of Hein Schumacher as its new Chief
Executive Officer, following an extensive, global search process. Hein will
replace Alan Jope, who announced in September 2022 his intention to retire
from Unilever.

Hein is currently CEO of the global dairy and nutrition business Royal
FrieslandCampina and became a Non-Executive Director of Unilever in October
last year. He will begin as Unilever CEO on 1 July 2023, after a one-month
handover period.

Hein is a business leader with an excellent track record across multiple
leading companies in the consumer goods industry. As CEO of Royal
FrieslandCampina, an €11bn turnover business operating in over 40 countries,
he has delivered significant portfolio and organisation change as part of
transforming it into a more focused, growth-driven and sustainable business.

Prior to joining Royal FrieslandCampina as CFO in 2014, Hein worked for H.J.
Heinz for over a decade - during a time of significant change at the company -
across the US, Europe and Asia. In his last four years at Heinz, he was based
in China, where he led a turnaround of the Asia Pacific zone. Hein began his
career in finance at Unilever, before joining Royal Ahold NV.

Unilever Chairman Nils Andersen said: "We are delighted to welcome Hein as our
new Chief Executive, after an extensive, global search process. Hein is a
dynamic, values-driven business leader who has a diverse background of
experiences and an excellent track record of delivery in the global consumer
goods industry. He has exceptional strategic capabilities, proven operational
effectiveness, and strong experience in both developed and developing markets.
The Board looks forward to Hein realising the full potential of Unilever as a
winning business which delivers long-term growth and value for all its
stakeholders.

"I would also like to take this opportunity to thank Alan for his leadership
of Unilever.  The changes he has made to the company's strategy, structure
and organisation leave Unilever far better positioned for success. Alan will
continue to lead Unilever until the end of June. He will be retiring after a
tremendous 37-year career with our business."

Hein said: "I am delighted to have been appointed to lead Unilever. It is a
business with an impressive global footprint, a strong brand portfolio, a
talented team and an enviable reputation as a leader in sustainability. In my
time serving on the Board, I have only become more convinced by the strength
of Unilever's fundamentals and its clear growth potential. I will be very
focused on working with the Unilever team to deliver a step-up in business
performance, as we serve the billions of people around the world who use its
products every day."

There are no additional matters that require disclosure under 9.6.13R of the
UK Listing Rules.

 

Notes to Editors

·      Hein Schumacher will be appointed Unilever CEO Designate on 1
June 2023 and will be appointed Unilever CEO on 1 July 2023.

·      Alan Jope will step down from the Unilever Board on 1 July.

 

CEO Remuneration

Hein Schumacher will receive annual fixed pay of €1.85m, be eligible to
receive annual bonus and Performance Share Plan awards, and relocation
support, all in line with Unilever's existing remuneration policy. His salary
puts him at the median of our benchmark companies.

He will also receive share-based awards to replace the loss of incentive
payments from his previous employer.  Further details of his remuneration
arrangements will be set out in the 2022 Directors' Remuneration Report.

 

Biography

Hein Schumacher, 51, is a global business leader with an excellent track
record across multiple leading companies in the consumer goods industry.

He has been CEO of Royal FrieslandCampina, an €11bn business operating in
over 40 countries - and with products sold in over 100 - since January 2018.
During this time, Hein has delivered significant portfolio and organisation
change as part of transforming it into a more focused, growth-driven and
sustainable business. Prior to his appointment as CEO, Hein was Royal
FrieslandCampina's Chief Financial Officer for three years.

Prior to joining Royal FrieslandCampina, Hein worked for H.J. Heinz for over a
decade - during a time of significant change at the company. In 2008 he was
appointed Chief Strategy Officer, before moving to China in 2011 as its
President and CEO. In 2013, he was appointed Executive Vice President of Kraft
Heinz's Asia Pacific Zone and led a successful turnaround of the business,
which spanned China, Indonesia, India, Japan and Oceania.

Earlier in his career, Hein worked in finance as Corporate Controller, Asia
and Central America for Royal Ahold NV. He began his career at Unilever.

Hein holds a Masters degree in Political Science and International Relations
from University of Amsterdam.

He is married, with three children.

 

This announcement contains inside information. This is a public announcement
pursuant to article 17 paragraph 1 of the European Market Abuse Regulation
(596/2014).

 

Enquiries
Media:

Jonathan Sibun +44 7779 999 683 / JSibun@tulchangroup.com

Lucila Zambrano +44 7825 273 767 / lucila.zambrano@unilever.com

 

Investors:

Investor Relations Team investor.relations@unilever.com
(mailto:investor.relations@unilever.com)

 

 

 

 

 

 

About Unilever  

Unilever is one of the world's leading suppliers of Beauty & Wellbeing,
Personal Care, Home Care, Nutrition and Ice Cream products, with sales in over
190 countries and products used by 3.4 billion people every day. We have
148,000 employees and generated sales of €52.4 billion in 2021.

Our vision is to be the global leader in sustainable business and to
demonstrate how our purpose-led, future-fit business model drives superior
performance. We have a long tradition of being a progressive, responsible
business.

The Unilever Compass, our sustainable business strategy, is set out to help us
deliver superior performance and drive sustainable and responsible growth,
while:

- improving the health of the planet;

- improving people's health, confidence and wellbeing; and

- contributing to a fairer and more socially inclusive world.

For more information about Unilever and our brands, please
visit www.unilever.com
(https://eur01.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.unilever.com%2F&data=04%7C01%7CAndriana.Matsangou%40unilever.com%7C42ee47b2288d45f8f2a208d8df2d618c%7Cf66fae025d36495bbfe078a6ff9f8e6e%7C1%7C0%7C637504733280668573%7CUnknown%7CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJWIjoiMC4wLjAwMDAiLCJQIjoiV2luMzIiLCJBTiI6Ik1haWwiLCJXVCI6Mn0%3D%7C1000&sdata=lScCQSEAvkw%2Bpg9uZtvDK3xlyNvKIfqQyv6GDWdkKt8%3D&reserved=0)
.  

 

Safe Harbour

This announcement may contain forward-looking statements, including
'forward-looking statements' within the meaning of the United States Private
Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Words such as 'will', 'aim',
'expects', 'anticipates', 'intends', 'looks', 'believes', 'vision', or the
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statements. These forward-looking statements are based upon current
expectations and assumptions regarding anticipated developments and other
factors affecting the Unilever Group (the 'Group'). They are not historical
facts, nor are they guarantees of future performance.

Because these forward-looking statements involve risks and uncertainties,
there are important factors that could cause actual results to differ
materially from those expressed or implied by these forward-looking
statements. Among other risks and uncertainties, the material or principal
factors which could cause actual results to differ materially are: Unilever's
global brands not meeting consumer preferences; Unilever's ability to innovate
and remain competitive; Unilever's investment choices in its portfolio
management; the effect of climate change on Unilever's business; Unilever's
ability to find sustainable solutions to its plastic packaging; significant
changes or deterioration in customer relationships; the recruitment and
retention of talented employees; disruptions in our supply chain and
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commodities; the production of safe and high quality products; secure and
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standards; and managing regulatory, tax and legal matters. A number of these
risks have increased as a result of the current Covid-19 pandemic. These
forward-looking statements speak only as of the date of this document. Except
as required by any applicable law or regulation, the Group expressly disclaims
any obligation or undertaking to release publicly any updates or revisions to
any forward-looking statements contained herein to reflect any change in the
Group's expectations with regard thereto or any change in events, conditions
or circumstances on which any such statement is based.

Further details of potential risks and uncertainties affecting the Group are
described in the Group's filings with the London Stock Exchange, Euronext
Amsterdam and the US Securities and Exchange Commission, including in the
Annual Report on Form 20-F 2021 and the Unilever Annual Report and Accounts
2021 available on our corporate website.

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