Unilever Names Fernando Fernandez CEO as Hein Schumacher Steps Down
Unilever has named Fernando Fernandez its new CEO.
Currently the company’s CFO and executive director, Fernandez has been with Unilever for nearly 40 years. He was previously the company’s president of beauty and well-being, president of Latin America, and CEO of the Brazil and Philippines segments.
The board chose to promote Fernandez due to his decisive and results-oriented leadership approach, as well as his ability to drive change at speed, according to chairman Ian Meakins. He said Fernandez brings a strong record of performance and portfolio management and helped drive the company’s growth action plan and productivity program.
The company is launching an internal and external search process to appoint a permanent CFO. Starting March 1, Srinivas Phatak, the company’s current deputy CFO and group controller, will become acting CFO.
Also read: Unilever Is Among CPGs Embedding AI To Accelerate Product Development
Hein Schumacher’s Time at Unilever
Fernandez takes over for Hein Schumacher, who is stepping down from the role on March 1 by mutual agreement with Unilever, exiting the company entirely on May 31.
Schumacher joined as the company’s leader in 2023 following a massive global search process. He brought an extensive track record in sustainability-minded, supply chain overhauls. Unilever was undergoing its own supply chain transformation at the time Schumacher joined the company.
In 2024, Unilever expanded a collaborative end-to-end supply chain model to key global customers after a successful Walmart Mexico pilot, initiated in 2022, delivered on-shelf availability rates of over 98%.
It’s part of an effort to achieve what they termed “One Supply Chain” — a model that seeks to accelerate end-to-end visibility of the supply chain, including promotional planning and execution. It is synchronized and optimized by the company’s proprietary artificial intelligence solution, Juan-Carlos Parada, Unilever's global head of customer operation, previously told CGT.
Aligned with those goals, Schumacher launched the company’s productivity program to drive growth through a leaner, more focused approach supported by investments in tech. It coincided with the company’s announcement to create a spin-off business solely for ice cream as it focused on four core business groups: Beauty & Wellness, Personal Care, Home Care, and Nutrition.
“On behalf of the board, I would like to thank Hein for resetting Unilever’s strategy, for the focus and discipline he has brought to the company, and for the solid financial progress delivered during 2024,” said Meakins, who added that the business separation and productivity program remain on track as Schumacher departs.
Schumacher originally replaced Alan Jope, who also stepped down from the role of CEO.
