Unilever breaks ground in Singapore

At today’s official ground-breaking ceremony, the company said that the development of Unilever Four Acres – Singapore underlines its commitment to developing and emerging markets, especially in Asia, which comprises over 50 per cent of the company’s total turnover. 

Harish Manwani, currently Unilever president, Asia, Africa, Central and Eastern Europe said that the establishment of Unilever Four Acres in Singapore will enable the company to build a powerful resource for the development of global leadership talent and help achieve its growth ambitions.

“The investment in Unilever Four Acres - Singapore also reflects our long term commitment to Singapore in its ambition to become a ‘Home for Talent’ and a centre for excellence in global leadership development,” said Manwani who, from September 2011, will become global chief operating officer of Unilever.

Plans to open Four Acres Singapore, the second of its kind after its Four Acres leadership centre in London, were first announced in December 2010 by Unilever chief executive officer, Paul Polman.

In a speech Singapore Economic Development Board chairman Leo Yip said that Four Acres - Singapore articulates Singapore’s vision to be a Global-Asia talent hub, and expressed his delight that Singapore will play a more significant role in Unilever’s growth by being the location where the company will develop future global leaders with pan-Asian perspectives.