UK appoints new chairman
He succeeds Kevin Havelock who has been appointed Group Vice President and
President Unilever United States, to be based in Englewood Cliffs, New Jersey.
Dave, 41, currently Managing Director of the UK’s Home & Personal Care (HPC)
business, will take up his role on February 1 and will be responsible for leading
Unilever’s go-to-market operation in the UK.
Dave said, “Naturally, I’m delighted to have been given the opportunity to
manage what is the second biggest contributor to Unilever’s total global
turnover. This is the business I joined in 1987 as a trainee and to take on the
role of Chairman is a real honour.”
Kevin will take up his appointment in the US – Unilever’s biggest single business
– towards the end of the first quarter of 2007.
After joining Unilever UK HPC in 1987 as a Marketing Trainee, Dave held various Brand and Customer Management roles, launching Dove into the UK in 1992 before being appointed Company Operations Manager in 1993. In 1996, he was appointed Marketing Director, Unilever Argentina and Regional Innovation Leader for Household Care in Latin America.
In 1999, Dave moved to Unilever Indonesia as Managing Director of the Personal Care
business and Regional Innovation Leader for Personal Care in South East Asia. Business
Conditions in Indonesia were challenging after the collapse of the Soeharto regime and
the ensuing political unrest. Despite hyperinflation caused by the political instability,
under his leadership the business continued to innovate and grow.
After a 3 three month Advanced Management Programme at Harvard University, Dave
returned to Unilever Home & Personal Care Europe in November 2001 as Senior Vice
President for Central and Eastern Europe, creating a business model that led to sales
growth in the region of almost 10% per annum during his three-year tenure. Unilever
Russia’s sales trebled in size during the period and continue to grow.
Dave has spent the last 21 months leading the UK’s HPC business as Managing Director,
overseeing the go-to-market operation across the deodorants, laundry, household
cleaning, hair care and skin care & cleansing categories.
About Unilever UK Leadership Team:-
The business has been organised to align broadly with our customers’ categories to
ensure that it delivers outstanding customer service and brilliant, Vitality-inspired brands
to drive category growth. The intention is to excite our customers, their shoppers and
the broadest base of consumers.
The UK Leadership Team will consist of:-
Dave Lewis Chairman
Tony Smith Customer Development Director
Ian Lawrence Finance Director
Gary Crouch HR Director
Geoff Fulford Supply Chain Director
Jacqui Hill Business Director – Household
Matt Close Business Director – Health & Beauty
Anuj Lal Business Director – Ice Cream & Impulse Beverages
Lysanne Gray Business Director – Chilled Foods
Paul Nevett Business Director – Ambient Foods
Simon Marshall Managing Director – Food Solutions
Emma Flack Communications Director
About Unilever UK’s move to Leatherhead:-
On November 20, Unilever UK announced that it had signed a lease agreement with
Landid and RREEF for a state-of-the-art head office at Leatherhead Office Park. The
ambitious new development will take almost two years to construct and fit out.
Unilever UK hope to take possession of the building in mid-2008 and to complete
the transfer of approximately 1300 employees from their existing locations at Crawley,
Kingston and Walton-on-Thames over the following months.
