Unilever Expands Focus, Operations In Emerging Markets

Unilever CEO Paul Polman said emerging markets are accounting for a growing share and focus of his company's business operations, as well as of those of other multinational corporations. At present, emerging markets account for 56 percent of the company's revenue, and this rate will rise to 75 percent by the end of the decade, according to Polman. He also said that innovation, anticipation of consumer needs, and business speed and agility will enable Unilever to double its turnover while reducing its environmental impact. Polman said that increasingly, innovation is coming from the emerging markets, and the company is expanding its investments in developing countries.