As part of a new organisational restructure, Marmite maker Unilever has announced a reduction in senior and junior management roles that will see 1,500 jobs cut worldwide.

This news comes a week after the firm failed in its bid to buy the consumer health division of GlaxoSmithKline for £50 billion.

The firm employs more than 6,000 people in its operations in the UK and Ireland. The proposed new organisation model will result in a reduction in senior management roles of around 15% and more junior management roles by 5%.

Unilever added that it does not expect factory teams to be impacted by these changes, and that all costs related to setting up the new organisation will be managed within existing restructuring investment plans.

The company has said it will move away from its current matrix structure and will be organised around five distinct business group including nutrition and ice cream. According to Unilever, each business group will be fully responsible and accountable for its strategy, growth and profit delivery globally.

Unilever Corporate Centre will continue to set Unilever’s overall strategy.

Alan Jope, CEO Unilever, said that the new organisational model was designed to continue the growth in performance across these key areas of the business. He said: “Growth remains our top priority and these changes will underpin our pursuit of this.”

New appointments

Hanneke Faber, president foods and refreshment, has been appointed president nutrition, which will be home to subsectors of the business including scratch cooking, healthy snacking, functional nutrition, plant-based meat and food solutions.

Matt Close, EVP ice cream, has been appointed president ice cream, a business group in its own right.

Reginaldo Ecclissato, chief supply chain officer, will lead the supply chain and Unilever business operations as chief business operations officer.