# Unilever CFO Pitkethly to leave company by May 2024 Author: Pal Sinha, Barnali Author URL: https://financedigest.com/author/pal-sinha-barnali Published: 2023-05-30 Category: NEWS Category URL: https://financedigest.com/category/news Meta Title: Unilever CFO Pitkethly to Retire by May 2024 Meta Description: Unilever CFO Graeme Pitkethly to retire after over 20 years at company, amidst industry-wide challenges. Successor search underway. URL: https://financedigest.com/unilever-cfo-pitkethly-to-leave-company-by-may-2024html ![undefined](https://prod.superblogcdn.com/site_cuid_cm5qst7v3003gwirgwqtxn8i8/images/2023-05-30t090739z4lynxmpej4t058rtroptp4gsk-m-a-unilever-1736813954390-compressed.jpg) # Unilever CFO Pitkethly to leave company by May 2024 By Richa Naidu and Eva Mathews (Reuters) – Unilever Plc said on Tuesday Chief Financial Officer Graeme Pitkethly would leave the consumer goods giant by the end of May 2024 after more than two decades. Pitkethly, who has been with the maker of Dove soap since 2002, succeeded Jean-Marc Huët as finance chief in 2015. The 56-year-old previously [served as executive](https://www.financedigest.com/factbox-long-serving-qantas-executive-vanessa-hudson-named-as-next-ceo.html "Factbox-Long-serving Qantas executive Vanessa Hudson named as next CEO") vice president of Unilever’s UK and Ireland business, including head of M&A and head of treasury. The announcement of his departure comes as Unilever, like the rest of the consumer goods industry, is grappling with significant cost [inflation and pressure on its margins](https://www.financedigest.com/kraft-heinz-flags-margin-pressure-from-inflation-shares-fall.html "Kraft Heinz flags margin pressure from inflation, shares fall") due to high prices for energy and other commodities. Unilever, which did not [say why Pitkethly planned to “retire from the company”](https://www.financedigest.com/french-unions-unanimously-sign-wage-agreement-with-edf-company-says.html "French unions unanimously sign wage agreement with EDF, company says"), said it would proceed with a formal internal and external search for his successor. One of the biggest consumer companies in the world with more than 400 brands ranging from detergent to ice cream, Unilever in January appointed Hein Schumacher to [replace CEO](https://www.financedigest.com/a-network-of-networks-will-ceos-be-replaced-by-ai-in-the-next-10-years.html "A Network of Networks: Will CEOs be Replaced by AI in the Next 10 Years?") Alan Jope from July. That move was welcomed by investors including [board member](https://www.financedigest.com/passendo-powers-up-with-raft-of-new-board-members.html "Passendo powers up with raft of new board members") and activist shareholder Nelson Peltz. The timing of Pitkethly’s retirement announcement is maybe not a surprise, as this will give the incoming CEO the opportunity to reshape his leadership team,” said Tineke Frikkee, a fund manager at Unilever shareholder Waverton [Investment](https://www.financedigest.com/heartwood-investment-management-sees-continued-growth-as-its-assets-increase-by-19-in-2016.html "Heartwood Investment Management sees continued growth as its assets increase by 19% in 2016") Management. Eight years as CFO of a multinational is a decent [time](https://www.financedigest.com/deliveroos-financial-hot-potato-time-for-new-cfo-to-step-up-to-the-plate.html "Deliveroo’s Financial Hot Potato: Time for new CFO to step up to the plate") and retiring in May 2024 should enable a useful handover to a new CFO. The company also said Conny Braams, its [chief digital and commercial officer](https://www.financedigest.com/inmobi-names-inderbir-singh-pall-as-chief-technology-officer-of-inmobi-advertising-platform.html "InMobi Names Inderbir Singh Pall as Chief Technology Officer of InMobi Advertising Platform"), had decided to leave Unilever in August (Reporting by Eva Mathews in Bengaluru and Richa Naidu in London; editing by Shailesh Kuber and Jason Neely) --- This blog is powered by Superblog. Visit https://superblog.ai to know more. ---