Unilever (ULVR) Consumer Analyst Group of New York Conference (CAGNY) 2026 summary

Strategic transformation and leadership renewal

• Shifted from a geographically-led to a simpler, category-led organization, rotating 15% of the portfolio and separating the ice cream business to focus on higher-growth categories.

• Leadership overhaul with 8 of 10 board members and 9 of 11 executives new since 2022, driving a culture of accountability and differentiated rewards.

• 85% of turnover now comes from the top 24 markets, with ~95% of P&L in business group control, driving radical simplicity and efficiency.

• Implemented a significant productivity program, reducing white-collar workforce by 17% and improving overheads by 50 basis points.

• Enhanced incentive systems to reward differentiated performance, moving away from uniform bonuses.

Portfolio focus, premiumization, and digital acceleration

• Personal Care, Beauty & Wellbeing now comprise 51% of the portfolio, with a medium-term goal of reaching two-thirds.

• U.S. and India are anchor markets, targeted to grow from 33% to 45% of business share in the medium to long term.

• Over 50% of turnover targeted from premium products by 2025, up from less than 35% in 2021, with 42% of the portfolio already in premium positions.

• Digital commerce accounts for 17% of Beauty & Wellbeing and Personal Care turnover, with rapid growth in e-commerce and quick commerce channels.

• Investment is concentrated in 30 Power brands, representing 78% of the portfolio and showing consistent volume growth.

Innovation, marketing, and digital transformation

• Adopted the "Desire at Scale" model, emphasizing science, aesthetics, sensorial experience, and youth-spirited, social-first marketing.

• Leveraged a robust R&D base with 4,500 scientists, EUR 1 billion annual spend, and over 100 academic partnerships, accelerating innovation cycles and premium product launches.

• Expanded use of AI and content creators, with 300,000 creators globally and a 7x increase in digital assets for Beauty & Wellbeing.

• Strategic partnership with Google announced to advance conversational commerce and R&D modeling.

• Brand and marketing investment increased to 16.1% of turnover, with over 70% of spend now digital.