London, England-based Unilever, the iconic multinational consumer goods company, has announced another organizational restructuring initiative to consolidate and simplify the company along category lines.
According to Unilever CEO Alan Jope, "Our new organizational model has been developed over the last year and is designed to continue the step-up we are seeing in the performance of our business. Moving to five category-focused Business Groups will enable us to be more responsive to consumer and channel trends, with crystal-clear accountability for delivery. Growth remains our top priority and these changes will underpin our pursuit of this.
The restructuring of the company will consist of five so-called business groups labeled 'Beauty & Wellbeing,' 'Personal Care,' 'Home Care,' 'Nutrition,' and 'Ice Cream.' Each of these categories will be responsible for expanding on its strategy, growth, and profit worldwide."
The restructuring will impact 1,500 management employees, primarily senior and junior management positions globally.
The decision appears to be driven, in part, by the increasing involvement of Nelson Peltz and his New York, New York-based hedge fund Trian Partners, an activist investor noted for demanding board representation, management changes, divestitures of underperforming assets, headcount reductions, stock repurchases, and upstream dividends.
Change is coming. There will always be a tomorrow, no matter how much you may try to ignore it. There are no guarantees in life or promises for a bright future. Just because something bad hasn't happened yet, doesn't mean it won't. It can happen to anyone, anytime, anywhere. No one is guaranteed to wake up tomorrow and still have a job by evening. Are you now wondering, Am I Next?