At the end of last year, Unilever committed a further $450m to its corporate venturing unit for its third fund to help it expand in Asia and North America from Europe.
Martin Grieve (pictured), managing director of Unilever Corporate Ventures at the eponymous fast-moving consumer goods (FMCG) company, has left after nearly four years heading the corporate venturing unit to join peer Reckitt Benckiser (RB).
Olivier Garel, vice-president of mergers and acquisitions at Unilever, will replace Grieve at its corporate venturing unit.
At the end of last year, Unilever committed a further $450m to its corporate venturing unit for its third fund to help it expand in Asia and North America from Europe.
At the time of the funding commitment, Grieve, a member of the Global Corporate Venturing Powerlist 100, said: “The fact Unilever is committing to our third fund is recognition we can continue delivering financial and strategic benefits for Unilever.”
Grieve added the group had focused on four sectors – personal care, refreshment, digital marketing and sustainable business – and had set up an advisory board for each of these four sectors.
Separately, Steve Meller, chief innovation catalyst at Procter & Gamble, another FMCG company, left late last year to set up consultancy Creating Dots. He has also become chairman of Waste 2 Worth, among other non-executive directorships.
