Unilever's brand plan to grow business across Africa

Bruno Witvoet, Unilever Africa president and Mechell Chetty, Unilever vice president for HR, Africa, at the opening of Unilever’s new Africa hub.

The new Africa Hub Office will be based in a state of the art office in Atholl Towers in Sandton.  This is a 5-star green rated modern and sustainable office that will serve as a collaboration space for Unilever’s Africa leadership and its partners across the continent.

“As a truly pan-African company we see the future of African business in collaboration, breaking down boundaries and exchanges of talent,” said Bruno Witvoet, Unilever Africa president. “That’s why we set up a new African Hub Office and, as a thriving well connected African capital, Johannesburg is the ideal location. We look forward to working from here with our partners, customers and suppliers to use our great brands to help build a brighter future for Africa.”

Collaboration

The new Unilever Africa Hub office will be predominantly staffed by Unilever staff with pan-African responsibilities and act as a collaboration and co-working space that can tap into the detailed African knowledge of a company with sales in every corner of the continent of iconic foods, refreshments, personal and homecare brands like Knorr, Lipton, Omo, Sunlight and Pepsodent.

“Not only is this a modern open plan collaborative environment for our pan-Africa staff to operate at the heart of the changing retail, marketing and consumer landscape in Africa," added Witvoet, “it’s also a springboard for our South African talent into Africa and for our global and African talent to contribute in turn to the growing body of knowledge on African business here in South Africa.”

The Unilever Africa Hub office will focus on pan African coordination and strategy with existing Unilever businesses continuing to operate unchanged in key markets across the continent, developing and building on their deep local roots.

That includes Unilever South Africa, which is headquartered in Durban and is a company deeply proud of its South African heritage selling consumers affordable and high quality brands for over 100 years.

Unilever South Africa is one of the largest FMCG companies in South Africa. The company is over 100 years old, with brands like Sunlight, OMO, Lux, Knorr, Vaseline, Shield, Sunsilk, Flora, and so on, that are household names throughout the country. Unilever South Africa has over 3 500 direct employees based across two offices and seven manufacturing locations in South Africa. The company has a created a further 10,000 plus indirect jobs through its value chain.