Paul Polman
Dutch businessman (born 1956) / From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
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Paulus Gerardus Josephus Maria Polman, KBE[1] (born 11 July 1956) is a Dutch businessman and author. He was the chief executive officer (CEO) of the British/Dutch consumer goods company Unilever.[2] Polman is also the author of Net Positive: How Courageous Companies Thrive by Giving More Than They Take.[3]
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Paul Polman | |
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Born | Paulus Gerardus Josephus Maria Polman (1956-07-11) 11 July 1956 (age 67) Enschede, Netherlands |
Education | University of Groningen University of Cincinnati |
Occupation | Businessman |
Years active | 1979– |
Title | Former CEO, Unilever |
Term | 2009-2019 |
Predecessor | Patrick Cescau |
Successor | Alan Jope |
Spouse | Kim |
Children | 3 |
Website | paulpolman.com |
Whilst CEO of Unilever from 2009 to 2019, he set an ambitious vision to fully decouple business growth from its overall environmental footprint and increase the company’s positive social impact through the Unilever Sustainable Living Plan.[4][5] During Polman’s tenure, he provided a return vastly superior to rivals and more than double that of the FTSE index.[6] In 2018, the Financial Times called Polman “a standout CEO of the past decade.”[7]
In 2019, alongside Jeff Seabright (formerly the Chief Sustainability Officer of Unilever) and others, he co-founded a new organisation called Imagine to help businesses "eradicate poverty and inequality, and stem runaway climate change".[8] In 2022, Imagine Consultancy was purchased by Systemiq, an environmental consultancy firm focused on essential system change, of which Polman is a board-member and major shareholder.[9]
Polman was also an early proponent of Net Positive investing, through which he invests in for-profit companies whose mission is to deliver both high impact and financial returns. Polman sits on the Founders Board of TPG Rise, a $7 billion social-impact fund, alongside Bono and Jeffrey Skoll.[10] Polman is also founding Co-Chair of EQT Future, a €3 billion long-hold impact fund, alongside Jacob Wallenberg.[11] Polman is also an active Venture Capital investor having participated in several high profile fundraises for climate and mission focused companies.[12] As a result of his work championing causes around climate change, inequality, and sustainability, Polman has become a prominent global figure in the push for more responsible business.[13]