Unilever announces management changes

Unilever today announced that Doug Baillie has been appointed Chief HR Officer, following the recent departure of Sandy Ogg, and that Jan Zijderveld is to join the Unilever Executive as Doug’s replacement as President Western Europe.
New Chief HR Officer and President Western Europe

Paul Polman, chief executive of Unilever, said: "I am extremely pleased to be able to make these changes that strengthen what is already a formidable top team.

“Doug will bring the customer and consumer focus he has employed to such good effect in transforming the Western Europe business and bringing it back to growth to bear on a critical global role, while his experience in both developed and emerging markets will help us win the war for talent.

“Jan, currently Executive Vice President for South East Asia and Australasia (SEAA) will bring considerable experience of both Asian and European markets to his new role, building on the competitive position already established, ensuring fast, pan-European delivery of innovation into the marketplace and integrating the Sara Lee and Alberto Culver acquisitions when the latter has received regulatory clearance.

Both these appointments underline our determination to have the most talented people in the most important roles to enable us to win in all the markets and categories in which we operate"

Both appointments are effective from February 1st, 2011.

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Jan Zijderveld began his career in marketing in New Zealand and Australia in 1986, before moving to Europe in 1992 to undertake a number of marketing and customer development roles in the Netherlands, Italy and Sweden until 2003, when he became Chairman of Unilever’s Nordic business. He then moved to Chair Unilever Arabia in 2004, before assuming his current responsibility for South East Asia and Australasia in 2008.

Doug Baillie’s career over the years has spanned various Customer Development, Marketing and general management positions, from in-market responsibilities in Australia in 1987, South Africa in 1997, to Africa, Middle East & Turkey regional management and co-ordination in 2004 and South Asia, including India in 2006. Doug became President of Western Europe and joined the Unilever Executive Committee, as successor to Kees van der Graaf in 2008.