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Unilever names Hein Schumacher new CEO

Unilever announced on January 30 the appointment of Hein Schumacher to the role of chief executive officer.

SEE ALSO: Unilever invests in Indonesia’s Esqa

Schumacher will replace Alan Jope, who announced in September his intention to retire from Unilever. He will begin as Unilever CEO on 1 July 2023, after a one-month handover period.

The consumer goods veteran joins Unilever from global dairy and nutrition business Royal FrieslandCampina, were he served as CEO, and became a Non-Executive Director of Unilever in October last year.

As CEO of Royal FrieslandCampina, an EUR 11 billion (USD 12 billion) turnover business operating in over 40 countries, Schumacher has delivered significant portfolio and organisation change as part of transforming it into a more focused, growth-driven and sustainable business, according to a press release.

Prior to joining Royal FrieslandCampina as CFO in 2014, Schumacher worked for H.J. Heinz for over a decade, across the U.S., 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. He began his career in finance at Unilever, before joining Royal Ahold NV.

“We are delighted to welcome Hein as our new chief executive, after an extensive, global search process,” said Unilever chairman, Nils Andersen.

“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.”

The news comes after the UK-based consumer goods giant, via its venture arm, Unilever Ventures, invested Indonesian beauty brand Esqa.