Tony Smith, vice president of customer development at Unilever UK & Ireland, is set to retire later this year following a 28-year career at the manufacturing giant.
Smith will be replaced by James Simmons, who is currently customer director for Tesco at Unilever, after a handover period.
Smith has worked at Unilever for 28 years in senior roles including sales director and customer management director. He is also a former president of grocery charity Caravan.
Simmons joined Unilever in 1998 and has held a number of customer development and marketing roles, including UK trading director for Unilever Frozen Food & Ice Cream and customer director for Unilever Home & Personal Care.
"In James, I'm delighted to say that we have someone who has a great track record and has done a great job as home & personal care customer director and with Tesco across the whole Unilever portfolio," said Unilever executive vice president Dave Lewis. "He has a wealth of experience in customer development, has also been working closely with Tony for the past couple of years and now has a handover period in which to prepare for the challenges to come."
Simmons will be replaced by Steve Hermiston, who rejoins Unilever from Tate & Lyle, where he is retail sales and marketing director. He left Unilever during the Birds Eye disposal in 2007, having previously held a number of category management posts at Unilever's frozen food and ice cream business Birds Eye Wall's, including head of Asda's business unit.
Smith will be replaced by James Simmons, who is currently customer director for Tesco at Unilever, after a handover period.
Smith has worked at Unilever for 28 years in senior roles including sales director and customer management director. He is also a former president of grocery charity Caravan.
Simmons joined Unilever in 1998 and has held a number of customer development and marketing roles, including UK trading director for Unilever Frozen Food & Ice Cream and customer director for Unilever Home & Personal Care.
"In James, I'm delighted to say that we have someone who has a great track record and has done a great job as home & personal care customer director and with Tesco across the whole Unilever portfolio," said Unilever executive vice president Dave Lewis. "He has a wealth of experience in customer development, has also been working closely with Tony for the past couple of years and now has a handover period in which to prepare for the challenges to come."
Simmons will be replaced by Steve Hermiston, who rejoins Unilever from Tate & Lyle, where he is retail sales and marketing director. He left Unilever during the Birds Eye disposal in 2007, having previously held a number of category management posts at Unilever's frozen food and ice cream business Birds Eye Wall's, including head of Asda's business unit.
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