Veranderingen in top Unilever Benelux en DACH

Leadership changes in Unilever Benelux and Dach

With effect from 1 April 2009 Harry Brouwer (50), Chairman Unilever Benelux, will be taking on the post of Chairman of Unilever DACH (Germany, Austria and Switzerland). The appointment is subject to the agreement of the advisory board. Current Chairman Unilever DACH Henning Rehder, will move to London as Senior Vice President Finance for Categories and R&D. It is the intention that Harry Brouwer will be succeeded by Peter ter Kulve (44), currently Senior Vice President Global Ice Cream and member of the global category leadership team.

Doug Baillie, President of Western Europe noted, “Peter, Harry and Henning all have had long and successful track records within Unilever and I am confident that these moves will bring further growth to the company.”

With Harry Brouwer, a Dutch manager will return to Germany. Brouwer started his career in 1983 as brand manager Bestfoods in the Netherlands and worked since then in various marketing, sales and general management positions in Asia, Ireland, the USA and Benelux. From 2000 – 2004 he was Vice President Unilever Bestfoods in Hamburg. In 2004 he started as Chairman Unilever Bestfoods, followed by leading the integration of the different operating companies into Unilever Netherlands and has also led successfully the Benelux organisation since January 2008.

Henning Rehder came back to Germany beginning of 2005 after many years abroad. On 1 August 2005 he brought together the previously independent operating Unilever sister companies to One Unilever. In the beginning of 2008 Henning Rehder took over the responsibilities of the Multi Country Organisation DACH.

Peter ter Kulve started his career at Iglo-Ola in Utrecht the Netherlands and after several years moved to Eastern Europe where he held different marketing, sales and general management positions. Subsequently he lived for almost six years in China where he was Chairman of the North Asian ice-cream business. After this he worked for a short term in Holland as the Chairman of the IgloMora group where he helped to kick off the One Unilever integration in the Netherlands. The last four years he was leading Unilever's global ice cream category successfully growing its global leadership. In this role he worked extensively in both Asia, the Americas and Europe.

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For more information

Netherlands: Fleur van Bruggen, spokesperson, tel. + 31 (0)10 217 4844 (after 17.30 hrs + 31 (0)10 217 4000)Belgium: Aurélie Gerth, spokesperson, tel. + 32 (0)2 333 6642 (after 18.30 hrs + 32 (0)498 586 205)

Unilever in the Benelux

Unilever in the Benelux employs a total of 1,100 people. In Belgium and the Netherlands Unilever has a total of some 4,700 employees, including those who are employed in the four factories in both countries, the Corporate Centre in Rotterdam and Unilever Research & Development Vlaardingen (URDV), which are not part of Unilever Benelux. The market in Luxembourg is managed from Belgium. Unilever has a strong brand portfolio in the Benelux countries, including well-known brands such as Amora, Andrélon, Axe, Becel, Ben & Jerry’s, Bertolli, Calvé, Conimex, Dove, Glorix, Knorr, Lipton, OLA, OMO, Rexona, Signal, Sun and Unox. Unilever Benelux has a joint annual turnover of some € 1.8 billion, which makes it the largest manufacturer of premium brand consumer goods in the Benelux.