Bangkok--27 Aug--Aziam Burson-Marsteller
It has been announced by Unilever Thailand that after five and a half years, Mr. Bauke Rouwers, Chairman Unilever Thailand, Myanmar, Cambodia and Laos will now take over as Chairman Unilever France as of 1st October 2014.
He will be replaced by Ms. Supattra Paopiamsap as the new Chairman of the Unilever Group of Companies in Thailand, while Mr. Sandeep Kohli, will head the Unilever operations in Myanmar, Cambodia and Laos.
Mr. Rouwers has led Unilever Thailand, Myanmar, Cambodia and Laos’s sustainable growth strategy at a crucial time for the Company. During his time, the annual turnover almost doubled while at the same time the company has successfully reduced its environmental impact while positively increasing its social impact. Furthermore, Unilever has made significant investments in Thailand totaling THB 6 billion, which comprise of establishing a regional R&D Centre, new manufacturing plant and increased manufacturing capabilities, a new distribution center and the setting up of a new corporate headquarters building.
In 2011, Mr. Rouwers along with the Company’s leadership team launched “Take U Home” programme in response to the floods in Thailand. The programme was focused on helping one million Thai people who were forced to vacate their flooded homes to return back to their residences.
Recently the Company has achieved zero landfill at all its manufacturing sites in Thailand, resulting in the recycling of all its non-hazardous waste, and has also launched a public private partnership with the Ministry of Interior, the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment, the Federation of Thai Industries, as well as the Environmental Journalists Association, to reduce waste and increase recycling in the country.
Mr. Rouwers was also instrumental in establishing Unilever business in Myanmar in 2010, which today is a locally registered multinational which with its local marketing and sales operations now operates two manufacturing plants in the country.
Talent development and advancement has always been one of the primary strategies driving the success of the company. This was also recognized through the “Asia Best Employer Award in 2012.
As a result, the company is proud to announce Ms. Supattra Paopiamsap as his successor for the Thailand business. Ms. Supattra is a 22-year Company veteran who brings a wealth of category and market experience to her new role, having worked in regional roles as well as in China, Malaysia and Singapore. As Mr. Rouwers has stated “Supattra reflects all the strengths of Unilever’s talent strategy that combines a well-rounded Unilever managerial development plan with as deep understanding of the local consumer”. According to him: “her promotion to the top Unilever management position in Thailand signals the success of the company’s strategy to develop both diversity and local leadership talent”.
Responding to her appointment as Unilever Thailand’s first woman leader, Ms. Supattra said she was immensely proud to lead a senior management team that was predominantly Thai and female. “Although the Thai economy is going through challenging times, with the momentum that Unilever Thailand has built up under the leadership of Bauke Rouwers over the last five and a half years, I feel very confident that with our senior management team and great in-depth talent throughout the organization, Unilever Thailand will continue to grow, but in an even more sustainable manner,” Ms. Supattra explained.
She also thanked Mr. Bauke Rouwers for all the guidance and support he had provided her since they had started working together 5 years ago.
Mr. Rouwers has a degree in Business Economics, Erasmus University, and Rotterdam and joined Unilever in the Netherlands in 1991. Since then he has held a variety of marketing positions from across Europe, the Americas and Asia, before taking over as Chairman Unilever Thailand in 2009.
He will continue in his current role until 30 Sep 2014, until he hands over his current responsibilities to both Ms. Supattra Paopiamsap and Mr. Sandeep Kohli