ICI underlines changes with outsider for top job
Your support helps us to tell the story
From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it's investigating the financials of Elon Musk's pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, 'The A Word', which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging.
At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story.
The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political spectrum. And unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock Americans out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. We believe quality journalism should be available to everyone, paid for by those who can afford it.
Your support makes all the difference.THE board of Imperial Chemical Industries has gone outside the company to choose Charles Miller Smith, a director of Unilever, the Anglo-Dutch consumer goods giant, as its next chief executive, writes Terence Wilkinson.
Mr Miller Smith will succeed Ronnie Hempel, ICI deputy chairman and chief executive, in April next year when Mr Hempel takes over as chairman from Sir Denys Henderson, who is to retire.
Mr Miller Smith, 54, will be appointed as an executive director of ICI in October.
A Glaswegian, Mr Miller Smith, a non-executive director of Midland Bank, has spent his entire career at Unilever after graduating in Medieval and Modern History at St Andrews University. He joined the Unilever board in 1989 as financial director with responsibility for investor relations, treasury and mergers and acquisitions.
Since January 1993 he has been on Unilever's foods executive overlooking profit in Southern Europe together with a responsibility for food in the Asia Pacific region and ice cream.
The City gave a positive, if guarded, welcome to the news of his appointment, as further evidence of ICI's willingness to change since the demerger in 1991 of Zeneca, the pharmaceuticals and agrochemicals company.
'At this stage of the game, when you are trying to change the company's culture, bringing in an outsider is no bad thing,' said Charles Lambert, an analyst with Smith New Court.
Sir Denys Henderson said that together Mr Hempel and Mr Miller Smith would provide 'an admirable mix of continuity and outside experience to build on ICI's strong performance since demerger'.
View from City Road, page 37
Join our commenting forum
Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies
Comments