Unilever’s relatively new CEO Fernando Fernandez said he plans to review the consumer giant’s top 200 leadership roles for a 25% “refresh” of management.
Speaking at the Barclays Global Consumer Staples Conference yesterday (3 September), Fernandez said the one-by-one review of the roles is to ensure a leadership “benchmark within the market”.
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Fernandez was appointed CEO in March and set out a new aspiration for a “machine of demand creation” for Unilever, with a focus on “geographical anchors” in the US and India.
“We are ensuring ruthless execution everywhere, in every market. Are they good enough? Are they at the level that Unilever deserves?” he said at the conference in terms of the staff review. “We expect 25% refreshing from that.”
The Unilever CEO said the company plans to fast-track emerging stars and bring in new hires, as well as apply a “significant” boost to its incentive system.
The Knorr and Ben & Jerry’s brand owner, amongst others, has cut roughly 18% of its white-collar workforce in the last 18 months, Fernandez confirmed, a move to ensure “accountability” within the organisation.
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By GlobalDataFernandez, who previously served as Unilever’s CFO, added: “We have absolute accountability now in the company.
“Four business group presidents, 44 P&L units. I have their names, I have their phones, I know who they are. Nobody can hide.”
He added: “We are taking decisions with 70% certainty. Fast because 90%, 100% certainty, you are late. Late in consumer goods is a very bad word.”
Fernandez also reiterated that Unilever continues to target €800m ($932.3m) in savings by the end of 2026 and plans to deliver €650m of that target by the end of this year.
