Michael Treschow, Chairman of Unilever, said: “I would like to thank Charlie for his contribution as a Non-Executive Director over the last eight years. Amongst other things he has brought to Unilever valuable financial experience and has played a key role in the transformation of Unilever and especially of its Audit Committee. He leaves with the good wishes of us all.”
In addition, Unilever today announced that it is proposing that Feike Sijbesma join the Boards as a Non-Executive Director. He will be proposed for election to the Boards at the Annual General Meetings on 14 May 2014 on the basis that, if elected, his appointment will take effect on 1 November 2014.
Feike Sijbesma has been the Chairman and CEO of the Managing Board of Royal DSM N.V. since 1 May 2007.
Michael Treschow said: “I am very pleased that Feike has agreed to be proposed to join the Boards. He is distinguished in his field and will bring additional expertise to the Boards. In particular, he will bring experience in sustainability, finance and food and nutrition to Unilever. I am sure he will add considerably to the business.”
Notes to Editor
Feike Sijbesma - biog
Nationality: Dutch. Born: 1959.
Feike Sijbesma has been a member of the Managing Board of Royal DSM N.V. (a global Life Sciences and Materials Sciences company) since July 2000 and CEO and Chairman since May 2007. Mr Sijbesma studied Medical Biology at the University of Utrecht and Business Administration at Erasmus University in Rotterdam. In 1987, he joined the Industrial Pharmaceuticals division of Gist-Brocades, where he was responsible for strategic planning and business development and from 1990 to 1993, he was the division’s Marketing and Sales Director.
Thereafter he was given leadership of Savoury Ingredients, which later became a business unit of Gist-Brocades’ Food Specialties Division. In 1995, Mr Sijbesma became a director of that Division and joined Gist-Brocades’ Executive Committee. Following the acquisition by Royal DSM N.V. in 1998 Mr Sijbesma became Director of the business group DSM Food Specialties. In 2000, he joined DSM’s Managing Board of Directors and on 1 May 2007 he became Chairman and CEO of the Managing Board of Royal DSM N.V.. Mr Sijbesma is also a member of the Supervisory Board of the Dutch Central Bank (De Nederlandsche Bank).
About Unilever
Unilever is one of the world’s leading suppliers of Food, Home and Beauty & Personal Care products with sales in over 190 countries. We work with 174,000 colleagues around the world and generated annual sales of €49.8 billion in 2013.
Over half of our company’s footprint is in the faster growing developing and emerging markets (57% in 2013). Working to create a better future every day, we help people feel good, look good and get more out of life. Our portfolio includes some of the world’s best known brands, 14 of which - Knorr, Persil / Omo, Dove, Sunsilk, Hellmann’s, Surf, Lipton, Rexona / Sure, Wall’s ice cream, Lux, Flora / Becel, Rama / Blue Band, Magnum and Axe / Lynx - now generate a turnover of €1 billion or more.
Our ambition is to double the size of our business, whilst reducing our overall environmental footprint (including sourcing, consumer use and disposal) and increasing our positive social impact. We are committed to helping more than a billion people take action to improve their health and well-being, sourcing all our agricultural raw materials sustainably by 2020, and decoupling our growth from our environmental impact. Supporting our three big goals, we have defined seven pillars, underpinned by targets encompassing social, environmental and economic areas. See more on the Unilever Sustainable Living Plan at www.unilever.com/sustainable-living/.
Unilever has been recognised in the Dow Jones Sustainability World Indexes for 14 consecutive years. We are included in the FTSE4Good Index Series and attained a top environmental score of 5, leading to inclusion in the FTSE4Good Environmental Leaders Europe 40 Index. Unilever has been named sector leader of the CDP’s Forests programme for three consecutive years, and in 2013 led the list of Global Corporate Sustainability Leaders in the GlobeScan/SustainAbility annual survey - for the third year running. Unilever was named LinkedIn’s third most sought-after employer worldwide in 2013.
For more information about Unilever and its brands, please visit www.unilever.com.