FMCG giant Unilever has announced the selection of Hein Schumacher as its next Chief Executive Officer. Hein will succeed Alan Jope, who declared his desire to retire from Unilever in September 2022.

Hein is now the CEO of the global dairy and nutrition company Royal FrieslandCampina and joined Unilever as a Non-Executive Director in October of last year. After a one-month transition period, he will take over as CEO of Unilever on July 1, 2023.

Prior to joining Unilever for the second time, he was CEO of the Dutch international dairy cooperative Koninklijke FrieslandCapina NV in 2018.

Schumacher held a number of management positions with Kraft Heinz Foods Company between 2003 and 2014. Prior to that, he was Corporate Controller for Ahold NV in Asia and Central America.

The 51-year-old CEO graduated from the University of Amsterdam with a Master’s degree in Political Science and International Relations.

Commenting on the situation, Hein said, “I am delighted to have been appointed to lead Unilever. It is a business with an impressive global footprint, a strong brand portfolio, a talented team and an enviable reputation as a leader in sustainability.”

“In my time serving on the Board, I have only become more convinced by the strength of Unilever’s fundamentals and its clear growth potential. I will be very focused on working with the Unilever team to deliver a step-up in business performance as we serve the billions of people around the world who use its products every day,” he added.