Unilever names Hein Schumacher CEO after lengthy search process

Consumer goods conglomerate Unilever has announced the appointment of Hein Schumacher as its new chief executive officer months after Alan Jope stated his intention to retire.

Schumacher currently serves as CEO of dairy and nutrition business Royal FrieslandCampina and became a non-executive director of Unilever in October, 2022.

He has been credited with holding an excellent track record in his current position, leading a 11 billion euro turnover business that operates across 40 countries.

Prior to Royal FrieslandCampina, Schumacher also worked for H.J. Heinz for over a decade in roles across the US, Europe and Asia, where he led a turnaround of the Asia Pacific region.

Jope to continue leading Unilever until June

He will begin his new CEO role from July 1, 2023, following a one-month handover period.

In a release, Unilever chairman Nils Andersen, said: “We are delighted to welcome Hein as our new CEO, after an extensive, global search process.”

Andersen continued: 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.”

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.”