Unilever Board Changes
Unilever PLC
08 February 2007
UNILEVER BOARD CHANGES
Unilever today announced changes to its Board.
Rudy Markham, 60, Chief Financial Officer, will retire at the Annual General
Meetings in May 2007 after a long and distinguished career at Unilever. Rudy
joined the Board in 1998 as Strategy and Technology Director becoming Chief
Financial Officer in 2000. His successor will be announced in due course.
Lynda Chalker, Non-Executive Director and Chairman of the Corporate
Responsibility and Reputation Committee, will also be retiring at the Annual
General Meetings in May 2007, having served three terms of three years. Lynda
joined the Board as an Advisory Director in 1998 becoming a Non-Executive
Director in 2004.
Three new Non-Executive Directors will be proposed for election at the Annual
General Meetings in Rotterdam on 15th May and in London on 16th May 2007.
Genevieve Berger, a Professor of Biophysics and Medical Imaging at Paris
University VI. Prof. Berger is also Chairman of the Advisory Board 'Health' for
the EU Commissioner for Research. She was until 2003 Director General of the
Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique.
Narayana Murthy, co-founder and Chairman of Infosys Technologies Limited. Mr
Murthy has led key corporate governance initiatives in India. He is, amongst
other things, a member of the Asia Pacific Advisory Board of BT Group Plc.
Hixonia Nyasulu, is a Non-Executive Director of Sasol Limited and Anglo Platinum
and an Advisory Board Member of JP Morgan South Africa. She was previously a
Non-Executive Director of Development Bank of South Africa.
Unilever previously announced in January that Michael Treschow will succeed
Antony Burgmans as Chairman, following his election to the Board.
Patrick Cescau said: 'I would like to take this opportunity to thank Rudy for
his excellent contribution to the business. He has been a tremendous colleague,
and an astute and highly effective CFO.'
Lord Simon, Chairman of the Nomination Committee said: 'Unilever is delighted
with these outstanding candidates as they further strengthen the expertise and
independence of the Board and, of course, bring diversity of background and
experience'.
Antony Burgmans said: 'I would also like to thank Lynda for her wise counsel,
particularly her expert knowledge of issues in Developing markets. I would also
like to welcome Genevieve Berger, Narayana Murthy and Hixonia Nyasulu to the
Board. Together their experience and background will be of enormous value to
the business.'
Unilever requires all Directors to offer themselves for re-election at the
Annual General Meeting each year. The following Directors will therefore be
offering themselves for re-election: Leon Brittan, Patrick Cescau, Wim Dik,
Charles Golden, Kees van der Graaf, Byron Grote, Ralph Kugler, David Simon,
Jean-Cyril Spinetta, Kees Storm and Jeroen van der Veer.
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February 8 2007
About Unilever
Unilever's mission is to add vitality to life. We meet everyday needs for
nutrition, hygiene and personal care with brands that help people feel good,
look good and get more out of life.
Unilever is one of the world's leading suppliers of fast moving consumer goods
with strong local roots in more than 100 countries across the globe. Its
portfolio includes some of the world's best known and most loved brands
including twelve €1 billion brands and global leadership in many categories in
which the company operates. The portfolio features brand icons such as: Knorr,
Hellmann's, Lipton, Blue Band, Flora/Becel, Bertolli; Dove, Lux, Pond's, Axe/
Lynx, Rexona/Sure; Skip/Persil; Cif and Domestos.
Unilever has around 206,000 employees in approaching 100 countries and generated
annual sales of €40 billion in 2005. For more information about Unilever and
its brands, please visit www.unilever.com.
This information is provided by RNS
The company news service from the London Stock Exchange