Paul Polman likes to think of himself as a simple man. “I come from a simple town, I come from a simple background. I keep things very simple, that's why I like consumer goods.”
The Dutchman, who took over as Unilever's chief executive in January, has a straightforward mission in his new job, too: to replicate the success that competitors Procter & Gamble and Nestlé have racked up in recent years, at Unilever's expense. “We just need to get to a point where we can achieve consistent, profitable growth,” he says, in his first interview as chief executive.
Mr Polman's promise of a no-nonsense approach has had ramifications. The company's shares fell 6 per cent in early February, after he decided to scrap financial targets.