Unilever's new boss Alan Jope loves danger. That’s why he goes motorbiking in the world’s most remote places.
He saddles up at Unilever at a perilous time, too. Today’s sales numbers weren’t bad, but the growth came from emerging markets. Europe and the US look weaker.
There are factors Unilever can’t control — economic slowdowns, for one. But there are others it can. One is that young, western shoppers now want specialist brands rather than global ones with little originality.
Unilever’s products may be global, but they have a clear point of difference: high environmental and ethical standards. Jope’s predecessor Paul Polman talked about this a lot, but used too little in its marketing.
Without being preachy, Jope should make his brands shout loud and proud about it.
A relatively cheap way of standing out from the crowd.
IT'S Easter and half the City is trying to get away to the Alps, but surely utilities giant Pennon should have issued a statement to shareholders today about a legal defeat for its Viridor division.
Viridor has been in a long-running tussle with contractor Interserve Construction over cost overruns to a £238 million energy-from-waste plant in Glasgow. Pennon had booked in its accounts last year that it will recoup £69 million from Interserve for the extra spending.
Last month, it cut that somewhat, but an adjudication in Interserve’s favour yesterday means Pennon can now only recover a maximum of less than half that amount. At worst, it could get nothing.
No trivial matter, and one investors deserve to know about. Even if Chamonix does beckon.
