Unilever United States Announces Leadership Changes

23/01/08 Unilever United States has announced that it has changed the configuration of its business teams and created a new Consumer and Customer Solutions organization. These changes to the company's leadership team structure have been made in order to further drive competitive advantage in the marketplace and enable a more consumer and customer focused organization. To that end, Unilever U.S. has made the following appointments:

Amanda Sourry, currently Vice President and General Manager of Meal Solutions and New Vitality, will become Senior Vice President and General Manager of the company's newly formed U.S. Foods Business Team. Unilever U.S. is creating a single U.S. Foods Business Team, which brings together Unilever's Meal Solutions, New Vitality Portfolio and its Spreads, Dressings and Beverages groups. This team will manage all of Unilever's Foods businesses in the United States excluding the U.S. Ice Cream business. The new U.S. Foods organization will be responsible for such well-known brands as Lipton, Bertolli, Hellmann's, Knorr, Skippy, Country Crock, I Can't Believe It's Not Butter!, Promise, Ragu, Wish-Bone, and Slim-Fast.

"The appointment of Amanda Sourry to this position reflects our confidence in her demonstrated abilities as a results-driven leader," said Kevin Havelock, President Unilever U.S. "Amanda's proven track record, coupled with her depth of experience in brand management, innovation and business development, makes her a terrific choice to lead Unilever's U.S. Foods Business Team."

Kevin B. George, currently Vice President and General Manager of the company's Chicago-based Deodorant business, will become Vice President and General Manager of the company's combined Antiperspirant, Deodorant and Hair Care Business.

"Kevin George has been very successful at leading the growth of Unilever's U.S. deodorant business," said Havelock. "His appointment to head the combined AP, DEO and Hair Business Team is well deserved and reflects our confidence in his leadership, business acumen and brand-management experience."

The combined U.S. Antiperspirant, Deodorant and Hair Care Business Team portfolio includes highly successful brands such as Axe, Degree, Suave, Dove and Sunsilk.

Lisa Klauser, currently Vice President, Brand Building & Marketing Excellence, has been named Vice President of the newly formed Consumer and Customer Solutions organization.

In her new role, Klauser will lead Integrated and Multicultural Marketing, Visual Branding, Brand Public Relations, Category Management, Shopper Marketing, and Consumer Market Insight.

"Lisa Klauser has played an integral leadership role in developing new and innovative capabilities in shopper marketing and consumer relationship marketing, which leverage the scale of Unilever with our customers and consumers," said Havelock. "She has led our drive to turn shopper insights into actionable solutions."