Unilever North America President Amanda Sourry will retire to pursue new opportunities after two years at the helm and more than 30 years with the company. She is replaced by Fabian Garcia, former president and chief executive at Revlon.
Conny Braams was appointed Unilever’s chief digital and marketing officer from her post as executive vice president of Unilever Middle Europe.
Sourry spent almost her entire career at Unilever, starting out as a brand manager after graduating from college in 1985. She’s filled a number of senior positions within the company since and started her current position in January 2018.
“I would like to express my sincere gratitude to Amanda for her significant contribution to Unilever over so many years. Her strategic clarity, operational experience and passion for developing talent have made her one of the company’s best leaders of recent times. We wish her all the best for the future,” said Unilever Chief Executive Officer Alan Jope in a statement. “I would also like to extend a warm welcome to Fabian, a truly global and purpose-driven business leader, who brings to Unilever deep experience of the consumer goods industry in North America and many other markets, as well as an impressive track record of high performance.”
Garcia initiated a transformation at Revlon during his time as president and chief executive between 2016 and 2018, including the acquisition and integration of Elizabeth Arden in 2016. From 2010 to 2016, he was chief operating officer of global innovation and growth and Colgate Palmolive.
Braams has been with Unilever since 1990 in a wide variety of marketing leadership and general management roles through several European and Asian markets. In her current role, she is responsible for Unilever’s business in DACH (Germany, Austria and Switzerland), Nordics, Italy and the Benelux, where she leads the company’s largest European unit.
“Conny Braams is one of our most successful and talented leaders, as well as a highly effective driver of change,” Jope said. “As our new chief digital and marketing officer, her experience will be critical to the transformation of Unilever into a future-fit, fully digitized organization at the leading edge of consumer marketing.”
Garcia will join Unilever on Jan. 1, with Sourry supporting the transition into early 2020. He will report to Chief Operating Officer Nitin Paranjpe. Braams will also begin Jan. 1, and her replacement as executive vice president Unilever Middle Europe will be announced.
Editor’s note: The original article incorrectly said that Braams was named chief digital and marketing officer for Unilever North America.
