Huet is currently the CFO at pharmaceutical company, Bristol-Myers Squibb; a position he has held since 2008.
Prior to this he held the CFO position at Royal Numico and was executive director of investment banking services at Goldman Sachs International.
In a statement released by the company, Unilever chief executive, Paul Polman, said: “we are delighted to have attracted a candidate of Jean-Marc’s talent and experience…His background and expertise will be important in helping us realise the growth ambitions we have for the future.”
Resignation of current CFO
The appointment follows the announced resignation of the current CFO, James A. Lawrence, earlier this month. Mr Lawrence, who joined the company in 2007, is to step down from his position at the end of the year.
Speaking of his resignation, Lawrence said: “I am delighted that Unilever is in such great shape for our shareholders, and having seen the company through an important period of transition, I’m now looking forward to pursuing new opportunities.”
Solid Q3 performance for personal care division
Unilever’s personal care division registered sales of €3.03bn during the quarter, an increase of 5.2 per cent in underlying sales growth compared to the same period last year.
According to the company, its personal care category delivered good growth despite weak markets, particularly in the US and Europe, with new product launches and continued brand roll-out contributing to the encouraging performance.
The Dove brand witnessed increased sales with the introduction of the new Dove for Men range in selected European countries including Italy, France and Spain, as well as the launch of new shower gels with NutriumMoisture technology in the US.
The Lifebuoy brand also grew strongly with the re-launch of liquids in Indonesia and brand roll-out into key Asia-Pacific markets, according to the company.