New finance chief to take over at Unilever

Unilever has poached Jean-Marc Huet from drugmaker Bristol-Myers Squibb to be its new finance chief.

He replaces James Lawrence who abruptly quit last week.

Lawrence was widely seen as a possible chief executive for Unilever, but lost that battle to Paul Polman, who was appointed last year.

Huet, 40, is a former Goldman Sachs man who only joined Bristol-Myers - best known for blood pressure pills and HIV treatments - in March 2008.

He has previous experience of the food sector through an earlier job at baby-food specialist Numico.

Polman said: "He joins Unilever at an excting time. His background and expertise will be important in helping us realise the growth ambitions we have for the future."

Huet said: "Paul Polman has set an ambitious vision for the company and I'm looking forward enormously to the challenge."

He will take up the new post on 1 January.

Unilever has been criticised for lagging the growth of rivals Procter & Gamble and Nestlé for the last few years.

Shares in Unilever, whose brands include Dove soap, Slim-Fast and Lipton tea, rose 14p to 1914p today.

Bristol-Myers has appointed Charles Bancroft as its acting chief financial officer.