Niall FitzGerald is to retire from Unilever’s board at the end of September to become non-executive chairman at Reuters, after almost a decade at the helm of Anglo-Dutch manufacturing giant Unilever. Fitzgerald has been with the producer of food, home care and cosmetic products for 37 years, becoming Financial Director in 1987 and Chairman in 1996.
The announcement of his appointment to the news and electronic information provider is expected to come before the groups annual meeting in April. Patrick Cescau, the current director of Unilever’s food business will succeed FitzGerald as Chairman of Unilever PLC and Vice-Chairman of Unilever N.V.