Notification of a Change to the Boards

RNS Number : 8369G

Unilever PLC

06 March 2015

 



Unilever N.V. and Unilever PLC Announcement

Notification of a Change to the Boards

Unilever today announced that in addition to the candidates proposed for election to the Boards at the 2015 AGMs announced on 3 March 2015, it is proposed that Mr Vittorio Colao also join the Boards as a Non-Executive Director. He will be proposed for election to the Boards at the Unilever N.V. AGM to be held on 29 April 2015 and the Unilever PLC AGM to be held on 30 April 2015 on the basis that, if elected, his appointment will take effect on 1 July 2015.

Mr Colao has been a member of the Vodafone Board since 2006, and Chief Executive since 2008. He sits on the International Advisory Board of Bocconi University, Italy, on the Dean's Advisory Board of the Harvard Business School and is a Vice Chairman of the European Round Table of Industrialists.

Michael Treschow, Chairman of Unilever, said: "I am very pleased that Vittorio has agreed to be proposed to join the Boards.  With his deep understanding of digital, track-record as an experienced CEO and solid international experience he will strengthen the expertise of the Boards and, I am sure, add considerably to the business."

6 March 2015

Biography:

Mr Vittorio Colao

Nationality: Italian. Born: 1961

Mr Colao has been a member of the Vodafone Board since 2006, and Chief Executive since 2008. He joined Omnitel Pronto Italia in 1996, which subsequently became Vodafone Italy, and he was appointed Chief Executive in 1999. He was appointed regional Chief Executive Officer, Southern Europe for Vodafone Group Plc in 2001, became a member of the Board in 2002 and was appointed to the role of Regional Chief Executive Officer for Southern Europe, Middle East and Africa for Vodafone in 2003. In 2004 Mr Colao left Vodafone to join RCS MediaGroup, the leading Italian publishing company, where he was Chief Executive until he rejoined Vodafone as CEO, Europe and Deputy Chief Executive in 2006. Mr Colao sits on the International Advisory Board of Bocconi University, Italy, the Dean's Advisory Board of Harvard Business School and is a Vice-Chairman of the European Round Table of Industrialists.

Unilever contact:

Treeva Fenwick                                                        Louise Phillips

Global Director of Media Relations                             Global Media Relations Manager

Tel: [phone]                                           Tel: [phone]

Email: [e-mail]                         Email: [e-mail]

Twitter: @unilever

About Unilever:

Unilever is one of the world's leading suppliers of Food, Home and Personal Care products with sales in over 190 countries and reaching 2 billion consumers on any given day. It has 172,000 employees and generated annual sales of €48.4 billion in 2014. Over half of the company's footprint is in the faster growing developing and emerging markets (57% in 2014). Its portfolio includes Persil, Dove, Knorr, Domestos, Hellmann's, Lipton, Wall's ice cream, Marmite, Magnum and Lynx.

Unilever's Sustainable Living Plan (USLP) aims to double the size of the business whilst reducing our environmental footprint and increasing our positive social impact. It says the USLP is its strategic response to the challenges businesses face operating in an uncertain and volatile world.Its three goals are:

·    Helping more than a billion people take action to improve their health and well-being

·    Decoupling their growth from their environmental impact

·    And enhancing the livelihoods of millions of people by 2020

Supporting these goals, the company has defined nine commitments, underpinned by targets encompassing social, environmental and economic areas. For more information about the Unilever Sustainable Living Plan visit www.unilever.com/sustainable-living/.

Unilever was ranked number one in its sector in the 2014 Dow Jones Sustainability Index. In the FTSE4Good Index Series, it attained a top environmental score of 5, leading to inclusion in the FTSE4Good Environmental Leaders Europe 40 Index. In 2014 it led the list of Global Corporate Sustainability Leaders in the GlobeScan/SustainAbility annual survey - for the fourth year running. In 2014 Unilever was named in LinkedIn's Top 3 most sought-after employers across all sectors and is also LinkedIn's No. 1 most sought-after FMCG employer worldwide. For more information about Unilever and its brands, please visit www.unilever.com.

SAFE HARBOUR

This announcement may contain forward-looking statements, including 'forward-looking statements' within the meaning of the United States Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Words such as 'will', 'aim', 'expects', 'anticipates', 'intends', 'looks', 'believes', 'vision', or the negative of these terms and other similar expressions of future performance or results, and their negatives, are intended to identify such forward-looking statements. These forward-looking statements are based upon current expectations and assumptions regarding anticipated developments and other factors affecting the Group. They are not historical facts, nor are they guarantees of future performance.

Because these forward-looking statements involve risks and uncertainties, there are important factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those expressed or implied by these forward-looking statements. Among other risks and uncertainties, the material or principal factors which cause actual results to differ materially are: Unilever's global brands not meeting consumer preferences; Unilever's ability to innovate and remain competitive; Unilever's investment choices in its portfolio management; inability to find sustainable solutions to support long-term growth; customer relationships; the recruitment and retention of talented employees; disruptions in our supply chain; the cost of raw materials and commodities; the production of safe and high quality products; secure and reliable IT infrastructure; successful execution of acquisitions, divestitures and business transformation projects; economic and political risks and natural disasters; financial risks; failure to meet high and ethical standards; and managing regulatory, tax and legal matters. Further details of potential risks and uncertainties affecting the Group are described in the Group's filings with the London Stock Exchange, Euronext Amsterdam and the US Securities and Exchange Commission, including in the Group's Annual Report on Form 20-F for the year ended 31 December 2014 and the Annual Report and Accounts 2014. These forward-looking statements speak only as of the date of this announcement. Except as required by any applicable law or regulation, the Group expressly disclaims any obligation or undertaking to release publicly any updates or revisions to any forward-looking statements contained herein to reflect any change in the Group's expectations with regard thereto or any change in events, conditions or circumstances on which any such statement is based.

 

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