Unilever’s new boss faces long list of investor demands

FOR a company that prides itself on purpose, Unilever Plc has lacked a sense of direction for several years and shareholders, including feared activist Nelson Peltz, want new chief executive officer Hein Schumacher to fix it.

The outsider, plucked from the dairy cooperative Royal FrieslandCampina, faces his first big test this Thursday when Unilever reports third-quarter earnings and lays out a plan for investors frustrated by a company that botched a £50bil takeover and is struggling to grow volumes.