Triumph of Jope

29 November 2018 By Liam Proud Follow @liamwardproud

Insider Alan Jope has the right skills to deliver the sound strategy that he inherits from Paul Polman. But a share-structure change that the consumer giant had to ditch may need be revisited. The big deals needed to boost slow growth will be harder to clinch with a dual listing.

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Unilever said on Nov. 29 its Chief Executive Paul Polman had decided to retire and that he would be replaced on Jan. 1, 2019 by Alan Jope, the head of the beauty and personal care division.

Jope, who joined the company in 1985 as a marketing trainee, has led beauty and personal care, Unilever’s largest division, since 2014. He has also previously run the North Asia business and served as president of Russia, Africa, and Middle East.

While Polman will retire as CEO and a board member at the end of 2018, he will help Jope with the transition in the first half of 2019 before leaving the company in early July.

Unilever’s Amsterdam-listed shares were little changed at 49.22 euros by 0830 GMT on Nov. 29.

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