How Unilever’s CFO Describes the Link Between Strategy and Execution
Jun 22, 2026
In an interview published by Boston Consulting Group, Unilever CFO Srinivas Phatak discussed the company’s portfolio choices, execution priorities, accountability model, performance culture and approach to managing current delivery while preparing for future change.
The interview was conducted by BCG Managing Director and Senior Partner Mai-Britt Poulsen and published on May 26, 2026.
Portfolio choices and resource allocation
Phatak said Unilever had made clear choices about its portfolio and was moving toward becoming more of an HPC pure play company.
He referred to the demerger of Unilever’s ice cream business, the combination of its foods business with McCormick and the continuation of bolt-on acquisitions.
According to Phatak, these portfolio actions mean that Unilever is making resource allocation choices in areas where it sees growth and outperformance.
He also said the company’s strategy and financial goals are aligned.
Three outcomes for execution
Phatak identified three outcomes around which Unilever is focusing its execution:
A volume led growth model
A gross margin led profit expansion plan
Cash
He summarized these outcomes as growth, profit and cash.
Accountability within the business groups
Phatak said that 92 percent of Unilever’s profit and loss responsibility sits within its business groups.
He described these groups as comprehensive commercial units with end to end responsibility.
According to Phatak, accountability and decision making both sit within these business groups.
Performance and compensation
Phatak said Unilever has aligned performance with delivery against top-line, bottom-line and cash outcomes.
He also said the company rewards and compensates people according to the performance they deliver.
He described this as a performance culture discussion rather than solely a discussion about rewards.
Daily execution and cultural change
Phatak identified a cultural shift as another part of Unilever’s approach.
He said the company focuses on what matters and expects people to take accountability and responsibility.
He described execution as something that must be practiced continuously rather than communicated once.
He summarized Unilever’s approach as working “inch by inch, store by store, SKU by SKU, and day by day.”
Phatak said that following this approach produces results from one quarter to the next.
The CFO’s microscope and telescope
Phatak described the CFO’s role through the idea of using both a microscope and a telescope.
The microscope focuses on managing present performance and winning today. In this area, Phatak said the CFO establishes clear key performance indicators and markers for what the company intends to drive.
The telescope focuses on future developments.
Phatak said this requires examining how the industry is changing and where disruption may occur across brands, segments and channels. It also involves examining where future profit pools may be located.
He said Unilever uses this perspective to consider how the organization should be aligned and shaped to lead in the future.
Phatak added that succeeding across both perspectives would support shareholder value while enabling Unilever to operate as a responsible business and serve its wider stakeholders.
This article summarizes selected insights from Boston Consulting Group’s interview with Unilever CFO Srinivas Phatak. The original interview is titled “Unilever CFO Srinivas Phatak on How to Perform and Transform.”
