I would like to inform you of the following changes to the Unilever Leadership Executive (ULE).
Dave Lewis, President of Personal Care, will be leaving the company to assume the role of Chief Executive Officer of Tesco plc. While we are sorry to see Dave go, this is a wonderful opportunity for him to take the helm of one of the world’s top retailers.
I am delighted to announce that Alan Jope currently President of Russia, Africa and North Africa Middle East and Turkey (RAM) will be appointed as the new President Personal Care.
Alan is one of our strongest and most gifted marketers with wide experience in senior brand, category and market roles, most recently transforming our business in China and then helping to lay the foundations to turbo charge our position in Africa and other geographies.
I want to especially thank Alan for the work he has done as President of RAM. In a relatively short period of time he has significantly strengthened the organisational capabilities and aligned categories to capitalise on the huge growth opportunities that this region represents. He leaves the organisation even stronger and sharper to take full advantage of those opportunities in the years to come.
Alan’s successor will be announced in the near future.
Finally, I want to thank Dave for everything he has done for Unilever over the years. He joined the business in 1987 as a UCMDS trainee and in a career spanning 27 years has made a very significant contribution in many parts of the organisation and across multiple continents.
Lately he has led the formation of the One Unilever UK business before being appointed to the Unilever Leadership Executive as President of the Americas in 2010 and in 2011 as President Personal Care.
Please join me in wishing Dave much success in his new challenge at Tesco. As one of our leading customers this certainly will not be a goodbye and we look forward to staying in touch with him in his new role.
Dave’s appointment to such a leading industry position, and the fact we are able to replace him from within with someone of the calibre of Alan Jope is a mark I believe of the strength and depth of our senior leadership talent, all of which bodes well for the future.
These changes to the Unilever Leadership Executive will be effective 1 September 2014.
Warm regards