Business | Hope after Jope

Unilever’s problems will not go away with its boss

The consumer-goods giant needs refreshing

Alan Jope, chief executive officer of Unilever Plc, listens during a panel discussion at CES 2020 in Las Vegas, Nevada, U.S., on Tuesday, Jan. 7, 2020. Every year during the second week of January nearly 200,000 people gather in Las Vegas for the tech industry's most-maligned, yet well-attended event: the consumer electronics show. Photographer: Bridget Bennett/Bloomberg via Getty Images

Sep 29th 2022

Every incoming chief executive wants to see their employer’s share price pop on the news of their appointment. No outgoing boss wants to witness the same thing happen when they announce their departure—especially if a market-wowing successor has yet to be named. That was the fate that befell Alan Jope after he declared on September 26th that he would retire next year. The market value of the consumer-goods giant popped by as much as 3.5%, ending the day 1.8% higher.

This article appeared in the Business section of the print edition under the headline “Hope after Jope”