Unilever Simplifies Corporate Structure

28/02/08 Unilever has announced a number of changes to simplify further its structure and better align its organisation in support of the company’s growth agenda.

Building on the success of its One Unilever programme the company now intends to go further by combining Home & Personal Care and Foods into a single category structure.

To reflect the company’s strategic focus on growth in developing markets, Central & Eastern Europe will in future be managed within an enlarged region comprising Asia, Africa and Central & Eastern Europe.

Western Europe will become a standalone region.

Simultaneously, a number of Unilever Board and senior executive changes are also being announced.

Kees van der Graaf will retire from the Boards of Unilever and from his role as President Europe at the Annual General Meetings on 14th and 15th May 2008 after a Unilever career spanning 32 years. Ralph Kugler, President Home & Personal Care, will similarly step down at the Annual General Meetings after 29 years service.

Harish Manwani, currently President Asia Africa, will lead the new expanded region. Doug Baillie will join the Unilever Executive as President of Western Europe, having previously been Chief Executive Officer of Hindustan Unilever.

The roles of President Home & Personal Care and President Foods will be merged under the leadership of Vindi Banga, currently President Foods.

Patrick Cescau, Group Chief Executive said:“These measures build naturally on the changes of recent years and give us an organisational structure even better placed to advance our growth agenda. At the same time, I want to express my deep appreciation to Kees and Ralph for the significant contribution they have made over long and distinguished careers. They have been fine colleagues and can be proud of their achievements. We welcome Doug Baillie onto the Unilever Executive following the outstanding contribution he has made to the business, most recently at Hindustan Unilever”.

Michael Treschow, Chairman of Unilever, said: “We thank Kees and Ralph for all they have done for us both as executives and as members of the Unilever Board and we wish them well.”

Also at the AGMs in May, James A Lawrence, currently Chief Financial Officer, will be proposed for election as an executive director of Unilever. This change will mean that the Unilever Board will be composed of two executive directors and 11 non executives. Jim joined Unilever as CFO in September 2007. He is currently a non-executive director of British Airways PLC and Avnet, Inc.

Unilever requires all Directors to offer themselves for re-election at the AGMs each year.

Accordingly, in addition to James Lawrence, the following directors will be offering themselves for re-election:

Patrick Cescau, Genevieve Berger, Leon Brittan, Wim Dik, Charles Golden, Byron Grote, Narayana Murthy, Hixonia Nyasulu, David Simon, Kees Storm, Michael Treschow, Jeroen van der Veer.