Unilever PLC has announced the appointment of Belén Garijo López as Independent Non-Executive Director, with effect from 13 May 2026.
Garijo currently holds the position of Chair of the Executive Board and Chief Executive Officer at Merck Group; she will hold this role until the end of April 2026, before assuming the new responsibility at Unilever.
Her career also includes having been a Non-Executive Director at L’Oréal between 2014 and 2024, in addition to being part of the board of BBVA.
From Unilever, its chairman, Ian Meakins, has stated that the incorporation of Garijo will reinforce the company's governance and strategic oversight, thanks to her experience leading large global organizations in both consumer products (FMCG) and health, as well as her track record in corporate transformation and diversity.