LIFETIME OF ACHIEVEMENT IN PROCUREMENT

In his rise to the role of Chief Procurement Officer at Unilever , Willem Uijen has been focused on making value chains run smoothly across the world .

But running a supply chain is second nature to Willem , having had roles in supply chain operations since 2012 , before he became the Vice President Home Care Supply Chain Latin America in January 2015 . There , he had responsibilities for the network of Home Care factories on the continent . Unilever Home Care is the maker of some of the world ’ s biggest and much-loved brands across laundry , household cleaning , plus water and air purification .

He was in this role for 18 months before becoming the Vice President Home Care Supply Chain in July 2016 .

Speaking on the Strong Source Podcast , hosted by Martijn Bron and Alexander Sterk , Willem revealed that his time working in supply chain helped with his transition in procurement : “ I ’ ve spentmost of my career in Unilever ’ s supply chain , working in markets across Latin America and Asia , including Mexico and India . About two years ago , I transitioned into procurement and it ’ s been an exciting journey . Supply chain management is deeply integrated with procurement , especially in categories like home care , where commodity exposure plays a critical role in keeping factories running and supporting product innovation . “ I ’ ve always enjoyed the close interaction between supply chain and procurement , so this move felt like a natural progression .”

TITLE : CHIEF PROCUREMENT OFFICER

COMPANY : UNILEVER INDUSTRY : CONSUMER GOODS LOCATION : LONDON , UK

Willem Uijen was appointed Chief Procurement Officer at Unilever in 2022 after more than two decades at the company in a variety of roles . He is responsible for the procurement of all goods and services globally , supporting the creation of 400 brands sold in over 190 countries .

58 December 2024