Unilever chief executive Paul Polman has pledged to improve the company’s supply chain capabilities and focus on innovation in the wake of a major overhaul of the group’s senior management.
“It is absolutely crucial that we strengthen our supply chain capabilities to win in market,” Polman told staff as he announced the promotion of Robert Etman to senior vice-president finance global supply chain. “We are currently not at par with competition.”
Other management changes announced over the weekend include the promotion of Henning Rehder, currently group chair in Germany, Austria and Switzerland, to senior vice-president finance for categories and research and development.
North America president Kevin Havelock is named executive vice-president global ice cream; northeast Asia vice-president Arun Adhikari becomes senior-vice president laundry for Asia, Africa and the Middle East; and spreads and cooking vice-president Alan Jope takes over as executive vice-president for greater China.
“Increasingly, a strong [customer development] or marketing background will be required from our cluster leaders to ensure that brand and category positions are built again and we consistently grow share,” Polman said. “Our appointments reflect this.”
He added: “With most – but not all – of the restructuring efforts behind us, we now need to firmly focus on the growth agenda for the organisation. A key part of this will be driven by the strength of our innovations, which have to become bigger, bolder and better; but also by our ability to translate these into in-market success.”
Meanwhile, the group has frozen salaries and plans to tie bonuses more closely to performance in a bid to reduce costs, according to the Daily Telegraph.
Polman took the helm of the consumer products giant on 1 January after the retirement of previous chief executive Patrick Cescau. Earlier this month the group declined to offer any guidance on its 2009 performance, citing the current economic instability.
“It is absolutely crucial that we strengthen our supply chain capabilities to win in market,” Polman told staff as he announced the promotion of Robert Etman to senior vice-president finance global supply chain. “We are currently not at par with competition.”
Other management changes announced over the weekend include the promotion of Henning Rehder, currently group chair in Germany, Austria and Switzerland, to senior vice-president finance for categories and research and development.
North America president Kevin Havelock is named executive vice-president global ice cream; northeast Asia vice-president Arun Adhikari becomes senior-vice president laundry for Asia, Africa and the Middle East; and spreads and cooking vice-president Alan Jope takes over as executive vice-president for greater China.
“Increasingly, a strong [customer development] or marketing background will be required from our cluster leaders to ensure that brand and category positions are built again and we consistently grow share,” Polman said. “Our appointments reflect this.”
He added: “With most – but not all – of the restructuring efforts behind us, we now need to firmly focus on the growth agenda for the organisation. A key part of this will be driven by the strength of our innovations, which have to become bigger, bolder and better; but also by our ability to translate these into in-market success.”
Meanwhile, the group has frozen salaries and plans to tie bonuses more closely to performance in a bid to reduce costs, according to the Daily Telegraph.
Polman took the helm of the consumer products giant on 1 January after the retirement of previous chief executive Patrick Cescau. Earlier this month the group declined to offer any guidance on its 2009 performance, citing the current economic instability.
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