MUMBAI: "Desirability at scale and marketing activity systems of ‘others say’ at scale will be the fundamental principles of our marketing strategy. I’m 100 per cent behind that. I need to really ensure that that happens in the company."

Those were the emphatic words of Unilever's new CEO, Fernando Fernandez, who has barely warmed his seat before diving headfirst into a fiery fireside chat with Barclays’ Warren Ackerman. In his first week at the helm of the consumer goods giant, Fernandez wasted no time laying out his ambitious roadmap: turbocharging innovation, premiumising Unilever’s portfolio, and tackling underperforming geographies—all while ensuring his leadership is more action-packed than a telenovela.

Unilever is no stranger to corporate shake-ups, and Fernandez's ascension to the top job has sparked curiosity, speculation, and a fair share of raised eyebrows. Investors were blindsided by the sudden departure of Hein Schumacher, whose tenure was seemingly on track. Addressing the elephant in the room, Fernandez made it clear, "This is a forward-looking decision. It's not a backward-looking decision." The board, he said, believed he was the right fit for the next phase of Unilever’s evolution. Translation? He’s the man to push things harder and faster.

That means no time wasted. With the Ice Cream business out, emerging markets are becoming even more critical. But Fernandez is keeping his eye on the prize: “Investors put pounds, euros, dollars—they don’t want Argentinian pesos.” His holy grail? Hard-currency EPS growth, powered by volume and margin expansion. No excuses.

With the Ice Cream division about to be spun off, Unilever still expects 4-6 per cent growth in 2025. Fernandez doubled down on confidence: 2024 saw a 3.5 per cent revenue boost, 13 per cent profit growth, and the company topping shareholder return charts. “No skeletons in the closet,” he assured.

Fernandez doubled down on the plan to demerge the division, listing it in Amsterdam with secondary listings in London and New York. "We separated Ice Cream because we always saw it as a clear outlier in our portfolio," he explained, with the kind of decisiveness that suggests he’s already moved on. "I'm absolutely convinced that this separated and independent ice cream company, with a different ownership structure, will make that business thrive."

If there’s one thing investors have been demanding, it’s speed. The message from Unilever’s chairman Ian Meakins and activist investor Nelson Peltz is clear: stop dawdling and unlock value. Fernandez, who has been with Unilever for 37 years, insists he’s ready to go full throttle. "I have never crossed paths with an employee that told me, Fernando, we are going too fast," he quipped. "The contrary, some people say, why are we going so slow?"

Under his watch, Unilever will ramp up investments in premiumisation. The company’s north American business is already leading the charge, with its prestige beauty and wellness brands like Liquid I.V. (now an €850 million brand) and Nutrafol (€650 million) expanding at a breakneck pace. But Europe? "We have neglected Europe for many years," Fernandez admitted. "That has changed in the last couple of years. We have innovated at scale in Europe, and you have seen our volume growth in Europe close to 4 per cent last year."

India: Unilever's biggest bet

India is central to Fernandez’s strategy. "There are 60 million affluent Indian households now," he noted. Quick commerce, a channel currently contributing 2 per cent of Unilever’s Indian sales, is projected to rise to 10-15 per cent within the next three to four years. "India is a very special place because richer Indians and poorer Indians live in close proximity, which provides demand and supply of labour. That made quick commerce a logical channel to grow."

"If you were running Unilever, you wouldn’t trade our Indian business for anything," quipped Fernandez. India is Unilever’s second-largest market, making up 12 per cent of global sales, but lately, the numbers have been looking more ‘meh’ than marvellous. The past year has seen growth slow down as Indian consumers clutch their wallets tighter, thanks to inflation making essentials feel a little too premium. Regardless, Fernandez remains optimistic about its long-term potential.

"The economic environment in India will get better in the second half of the year," he assured. The Indian government has introduced measures to stimulate growth, including a significant reduction in interest rates and €500 billion in household loans. Additionally, cuts in personal income tax and a shift from food inflation to food deflation are expected to boost disposable income and consumer spending.

"The only category in which we have some headwinds due to channel and segment development is in beauty. We have tailwinds in home care, we have tailwinds in personal care, and we have tailwinds in foods," Fernandez pointed out. The acquisition of Minimalist, a fast-growing prestige beauty brand, is part of Unilever’s plan to capitalise on India's changing consumer landscape.

Fernandez is adamant about making Unilever a market leader in premium beauty in India. "If you ask me, do you prefer quick commerce to marketplace in terms of channel development? Yes, of course. Quick commerce is a limited assortment channel. For companies like us that have such a presence in India, that's a good development of channels."

Beyond premiumisation, Fernandez has some heavy lifting ahead. The disposal of non-core food brands, particularly in Europe, is on the table. Meanwhile, ice cream’s demerger is progressing rapidly, with "11 workstreams absolutely on track" for a separation by the end of 2025.

Then there’s the hunt for a new CFO. With Fernandez shifting from CFO to CEO, Unilever needs a strong financial steward. "I would like to have somebody that is complementary to me," he explained. "Somebody with a good reputation with the markets, a good communicator, and a real focus on performance management."

If Fernandez's strategy can be summed up in one word, it’s "desire." Whether it’s driving desirability at scale or using AI and influencers to make Unilever brands more aspirational, he’s determined to inject a bit of sex appeal into the FMCG giant. Unilever is flipping the script on marketing. Ad spend jumped from 13 per cent to 15.9 per cent of sales in 2024, and Fernandez wants more. "Marketing activity systems in which others can speak for your brand at scale is very important," he explained. "There are 19,000 zip codes in India, there are 5,764 municipalities in Brazil. I want one influencer in each of them."

And where does that leave Unilever’s numbers? Investors will be watching closely as Fernandez attempts to hit the mid-single-digit growth target for 2026. "Our guidance is based on a hypothesis of 3 per cent GDP growth. If the inflation is higher, we need to revise. If the GDP growth is getting lower, we need to revise."

Before wrapping up, Ackerman quizzed Fernandez on two essential matters—his favourite football team and his favourite book. Turns out, he's a die-hard San Lorenzo de Almagro fan and an admirer of Mario Vargas Llosa's The War at the End of the World. "I like competitive wars and I’m coming from the end of the world," he joked.

With his ambitious plans, rapid-fire decision-making, and no-nonsense approach, Fernandez may just be the shake-up Unilever needs. The question now: will he turn the consumer giant into a marketing powerhouse, or will the pace of change outstrip execution?