Unilever CEO on shaping billion-dollar brands and sustainable growth from Singapore

Unilever CEO, Alan Jope

For over 56 years, Unilever’s footprint in Singapore has grown from strength-to-strength. Today, many of the leading FMCG firm’s global brands such as Lifebuoy, Lux, Closeup, Rexona and Pond’s ─ call Singapore home.

Business-critical units like Unilever International; the company’s Consumer Insights team; and its Global Procurement team also operate out of Singapore.

As business priorities shift on a global scale in favour of a greater focus on sustainable growth, Unilever – like many other established multinational corporations – have found themselves well-placed in Singapore to tap into a robust ecosystem of partners, as well as a strong global talent pool to build on their billion-dollar brands, innovations, and sustainability ambitions.

Singapore has also emerged as a catalyst for Unilever to embark on innovative ways to do business and build new capabilities, for instance tapping into media companies, commodity suppliers and startups for strategic partnerships.

Reflecting its importance as one of the company’s global strategic hubs, the Unilever global Board of Directors visited Singapore in November 2022.   As well as holding a Board meeting at the Unilever campus, the visit provided a great opportunity for Board members to learn more about the region, engage with the teams and with the many external partners with whom Unilever collaborates.  

Also joining  the Singapore Economic Development Board’s annual International Advisory Council (IAC) meeting, Unilever CEO and IAC member, Alan Jope shared how Unilever has set its sights on strengthening and deepening the company’s growth priorities in Asia and how Singapore continues to be at the center of this growth. 
 

Q: Unilever has had more than 56 years of sustainable business in Singapore. What are some critical factors and partnerships that have supported Unilever’s activities here?

A: Singapore has become a major strategic hub for our global business. Since establishing our operations in 1965, our footprint in the city has grown steadily. Today it’s home to some of our best brands like Lifebuoy, Pond’s, and Lux; and is a powerhouse of talent, creativity, and innovation.

Our progress has been made possible by tapping into Singapore’s favourable location, business friendly climate, and remarkable concentration of knowledge and expertise. This dynamic ecosystem has given us strategic advantage in growing our business and in establishing several enduring partnerships, like our collaboration with the Singapore Economic Development Board (EDB).

For over 13 years, we’ve worked together to transform Unilever’s operations – building new capabilities in data analytics, learning, and development. We’ve also successfully established new business units, including Unilever International, which is now over a €1 billion (S$1.42 billion) white spaces business.

Q: A few of Unilever’s global hubs are based in Singapore: Global Procurement Hub, Unilever International Global Headquarters, Global Marketing for Personal Care. How do these hubs in Singapore complement the company’s portfolio and presence globally?

A: Unilever’s vision is to deliver superior performance by being the global leader in sustainable business, and our Singapore operations plays a vital role in this success. There are four key parts to our presence in Singapore:

1. Building billion-dollar global brands: Our global brand hub in Singapore focuses on building and growing several of our biggest Personal Care and Beauty & Wellbeing brands, such as Lifebuoy, Lux, Pond’s, Vaseline, and Clear. Our multi-national talent base and the extensive agency network in Singapore allows us to customise products and campaigns for different countries in the region and globally, according to local consumer insights and trends.
2. Creating innovative business models: Singapore has been a catalyst for many of Unilever’s innovative business models, with Unilever international (UI) being our flagship example. What started as a Singapore based exports business in 2012, has now grown into a €1+ billion (more than S$1.42 billion) global business in less than a decade. UI’s business model complements the work of the rest of Unilever, focusing on white space opportunities across the globe – specifically underserved markets, consumers, channels, and brands.
3. Driving competitive sourcing: We have a sophisticated procurement operations based in Singapore which is advancing Unilever’s overall commitments in responsible sourcing, regenerative agriculture, and sustainable packaging. The team here sources a substantial proportion of our agricultural commodities including our palm oil needs from Malaysia and Indonesia. We also have multiple collaboration efforts with Non-Governmental Organisations (NGOs) on landscape protection, and with Singapore based start-ups, waste management companies, and industry alliances to develop sustainable packaging solutions. 
4. Attracting and developing top talent in Asia: We take huge pride in our thriving talent base in Singapore which includes 31 nationalities, with 60 per cent female talent. Our incredible talent pool in the region is one the reasons why we opened our Four Acres site in 2013 – which is our only global leadership development centre outside of the UK. We are focused on developing Asian talent for the global stage. Since 2012 over 1,000 employees have gone into regional or global roles in the company from Singapore. And our commitment to our people is recognised, having been consistently ranked the number one Employer of Choice in the Fast-Moving Consumer Goods (FMCG) industry in Singapore for over eight years.

Q: How have the company’s Singapore operations supported Unilever’s sustainability agenda and what are the top three priorities Unilever will continue to pursue on this front?

A: It is our ambition to be the global leader in sustainable business, and to prove that purpose is a pathway to superior financial performance. That’s why we have fully integrated our sustainability commitments into our business strategy – otherwise known as our Unilever Compass. It guides everything we do, and includes three overarching sustainability priorities:

1. Improve the health of the planet
2. Improve people’s health, confidence, and wellbeing
3. Contribute to a fairer, more socially inclusive world.

Many of our leading-edge sustainability initiatives, including our ambitious sourcing and brand programmes are led out of our operations in Singapore. Our teams here are contributing directly to our global sustainability priorities and are not only having a positive impact in Singapore, but also the wider region and globally.

For instance, our sustainable sourcing team has been investing in landscape programmes across key palm oil production areas in Malaysia and Indonesia since 2016. One industry led initiative which we’re part of, known as the Rimba Collective, has committed to protecting and restoring at least half a million hectares of forests and lands in Asia over the next five years.

Likewise, from a social perspective, our Singapore-based brand teams have designed a range of hygiene programmes for local communities and the wider region. For example, Pepsodent’s ‘Every Smile Matters’ oral health campaign has reached over 25 million children in Indonesia.
 

Q: Can you share more about the partnership with Doctor Anywhere (DA) and how Unilever intends to make tele-health accessible across Singapore and Southeast Asia?

A: Lifebuoy is one of our oldest, and most purposeful brands, having reached 1 billion people with hand hygiene education since Lever Brothers launched it in 1894. Today it’s the world's number one hygiene soap brand and the fourth most used brand in the world, according to Kantar Brand Footprint Report in 2022. 

The brand has recently ventured into several telehealth partnerships across Asia, to help democratise access to healthcare. It’s proving to be hugely successful, having reached 300 million people since 2020. In Singapore, Lifebuoy embarked on its telehealth journey last year by partnering with Doctor Anywhere, a regional omnichannel health provider.

Our goals as part of this partnership include:

• Educating 1 million Singaporeans on the importance of preventive healthcare
• Strengthening Singapore's healthcare network by providing improved access to preventive healthcare and online health assessments and services.
• Supporting the most vulnerable (elderly, disabled, and low income) and improving their access to healthcare services.

Q: Can you share with us one thing about Singapore that has left the deepest impression on you?

A: My family and I lived in Asia for 13 years, most recently spending four very happy years In Singapore. So, it does feel like home. We always enjoy visiting this beautiful country, and there are plenty of things to love – the tropical weather, delicious food (notably chicken rice from the Maxwell Food Centre), and of course the people and culture. I’m always struck by the city’s incredible efficiency, and the thriving international ecosystem it offers businesses like ours.