FMCG giant Unilever has named Hein Schumacher as its new CEO, succeeding Alan Jope, who announced his retirement in September last year.
Schumacher, who is currently the CEO of Dutch dairy business Royal FrieslandCampina, became a non-executive for Unilever in October 2022. He will begin as Unilever CEO on 1 July 2023, after a one-month handover period.
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Prior to Royal FrieslandCampina, he worked for H.J. Heinz for over 10 years, having begun his career in finance at Unilever, before joining Royal Ahold NV.
According to Unilever, Schumacher, has 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”, Unilever said.
“We are delighted to welcome Hein as our new chief executive, after an extensive, global search process,” Unilever chairman Nils Andersen said.
“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.”
