Unilever hunts CMO as another marketer departs
Unilever has begun recruiting a new chief marketing officer for Australia and New Zealand after two senior marketing leaders exit within six months.
The FMCG giant farewelled former CMO John McKeon in January and will now see his successor, Anna Tracey, depart in June.
Tracey, a 13-year Unilever veteran, was promoted from personal care marketing and strategy director to CMO in March with prior knowledge she would leave within three months, the company said.
Writing on LinkedIn, Tracey said she planned to “move into counselling and coaching”. She added: “This is a shift I’ve been working towards alongside my marketing career, and one taken in close alignment with the business.”
“Taking on the role of CMO has been a privilege, and a meaningful moment to help set marketing up for its next chapter,” she wrote.
“Over the coming months, my focus is on building strong foundations and supporting a thoughtful transition, including the search for my successor.”
Tracey stepped into the role following McKeon’s departure in January, with the former Australia CMO relocating to Malaysia two months later to become country manager.
Before ascending to CMO, she oversaw Unilver’s Rexona brand’s advertising campaign to promote its “whole body” deodorant range.
Unilever has now launched a job advertisement for a “head of marketing” for ANZ, but told Mumbrella the role remains equivalent in seniority and will continue to report to ANZ CEO Nick Bangs.
The advertisement calls on prospective candidates to “rise to the challenge”, noting: “Make no mistake, we expect a lot from our people, as they do of us.”
