The food and cleaning products group Unilever is facing the next change at its head.

Alan Jope, who took over from the hapless Paul Polman in 2019, will step down at the end of next year.

The company announced in London that both an internal and an external candidate could be considered as successors.

Klaus Max Smolka

Editor in Business.

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On the one hand, the farewell is not hasty: the consumer goods group behind the “Rexona” deodorants, “Dove” soaps and “Omo” detergents, behind “Knorr” ready-made soups and “Magnum” ice cream has more than a year to say goodbye to find a new CEO.

On the other hand, the change does not appear to be very orderly either, as it will be announced without nominating the successor.

Jope, born in 1964, will have been in office for five years when he leaves - if he doesn't bring it forward as soon as a new one is found.

GSK takeover failure

The manager has been through rough times: he tried to buy Glaxo Smith Kline's (GSK) toothpaste and painkillers division for £50bn but failed to do so earlier in the year.

Shareholders publicly criticized the Unilever boss's initiative.

A lack of perspective, a lack of creativity in their own business, these were the main allegations.

Jope's chair—that was evident even then—began to wobble.

In any case, investors were dissatisfied with the business development under Jope, who was actually supposed to revise the course of his predecessor Paul Polman, who was viewed from the outside as too soft.

Polman had championed social and environmental goals, which earned him plaudits from society but ultimately prompted his replacement as CEO.

Jope should focus more on yield again, but after an interim high, the stock is now trading at around the level at which Jope took office in early 2019.

Activist shareholder escalated riots

Earlier this year, it emerged that activist shareholder Nelson Peltz had bought a stake in Unilever through his investment company Trian Partners, adding to the unrest.

With a comparatively small share, he managed in May to be appointed to the management level (board) with a supervisory board-like function - he has been on the board since July.

Before the jump to the top, Scotsman Jope had headed the largest body care business area.

The most notable change under his leadership was the decision on the corporate headquarters.

Under pressure from investors, Unilever had already decided in Polman's day to end the structure of the Dutch-British dual headquarters.

The headquarters in London should initially be omitted.

Because the share threatened to fall out of the leading British stock market index, large investors opposed it - and Unilever stuck to London and temporarily to the double seat.

Finally, under Jope, Rotterdam was abandoned.

By the time he leaves, Jope will have worked at Unilever for 35 years.

Despite the continuity of personnel, the company has gone through years of change.

Now an external could follow.

In the long term, the question will remain as to whether the company will split into a cleaning company and a food company, as some investors want.