Unilever said Thursday that its Vice-Chairman and Senior Independent Director, the Lord Simon of Highbury CBE, will be retiring from the Board at the Annual General Meetings in May this year having served three terms of three years.

It is Unilever's intention that David Simon will be succeeded in these positions by Jeroen van der Veer.

Van der Veer will also replace David Simon as chairman of the Nomination and Remuneration Committees.

Unilever is also proposing that Louise Fresco, Professor of International Development and Sustainability at the University of Amsterdam, Ann Fudge, former Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Young & Rubicam Brands and Paul Walsh, Chief Executive Officer of Diageo join the Board as new Non-Executive Directors.

They will be proposed for election to the Board at the Annual General Meetings in London on May 13 and in Rotterdam on May 14.

As previously announced, Unilever will also be putting resolutions to its AGMs in May in order to move to quarterly dividends. The subsequent changes will result in a simpler and more transparent dividend practice for the Unilever group and its shareholders.