Marijn Dekkers has decided to step down as chairman of Unilever with immediate effect. Dekkers, who was appointed in 2016, will be replaced by one of the company’s non-executive directors, Nils Andersen.
“It has been a huge honour to serve as chairman of Unilever and I am very proud of the work we continue to do as a truly purpose-driven company,” Dekkers said. “My decision to step down has been a difficult one to make but I look forward to seeing Unilever go from strength to strength under Nils as chairman.”
Dekkers now plans to focus on his growing responsibilities as founder and chairman of Novalis LifeSciences, the investment and advisory firm. He will continue to serve as a non-executive director of Unilever.
Meanwhile, Andersen has been a member of the Unilever Board since April 2015 and served as chairman of AkzoNobel since April 2018. “I would like to thank Marijn for his strong leadership and the contribution he has made as chairman,” he said. “I am very proud to have been asked to succeed Marijn and I look forward to working with the Board and the Unilever leadership team to support the company’s continued growth.”