Unilever CEO Hein Schumacher steps down in surprise move
Unilever announced on Tuesday that Hein Schumacher will step down as Chief Executive Officer on March 1, 2025, and leave the company entirely on May 31, 2025. He will be replaced by Chief Financial Officer Fernando Fernandez, a company veteran with over 30 years of experience.
The company did not provide a specific reason for Schumacher’s departure. However, the announcement follows underwhelming full-year earnings and ongoing strategic restructuring, including the planned separation of Unilever’s ice cream division. Schumacher had introduced cost-cutting measures and aimed to refocus the company’s portfolio to drive long-term growth.
“The Board has been impressed with Fernando’s decisive and results-oriented approach,” Unilever Chairman Ian Meakins said. “While the Board is pleased with Unilever’s performance in 2024, there is much further to go to deliver best-in-class results.”
Fernandez, currently serving as Unilever’s CFO and Executive Director, will take over as CEO on March 1, 2025. Before becoming CFO in January 2024, he led the Beauty & Wellbeing division, one of the company’s fastest-growing businesses. He previously served as President of Unilever Latin America and CEO of Unilever Brazil and the Philippines.
“Being appointed CEO of Unilever is an honor,” Fernandez said. “Our focus will be on building a future-fit portfolio and delivering unmatched functional and perceivable superiority across our top 30 power brands.”
Schumacher acknowledged his departure in a statement: “It has been a privilege to lead Unilever. We have made real progress, and I am proud of what we have achieved in a short period of time.”
Market analysts reacted with skepticism to the leadership change. RBC Capital analyst James Edwardes Jones described the move as “gobsmacking,” noting Schumacher was well-regarded and had laid the foundation for Unilever’s strategic transformation. UBS analyst Guillaume Delmas suggested the decision was driven by a need for more effective execution of Unilever’s growth strategy.
The company reaffirmed its 2025 outlook and medium-term financial guidance, stating there will be no changes to previously announced targets. Meanwhile, Unilever has launched an internal and external search for a permanent CFO. Until then, Deputy Chief Financial Officer Srinivas Phatak will serve as acting CFO starting March 1, 2025.
Schumacher will continue receiving his fixed salary of 1.85 million euros until his departure and will be classified as a “good leaver” under Unilever’s remuneration policy. Further details about his severance package will be disclosed in a Section 430(2B) filing on Unilever’s website.
