Keith Weed

Keith Weed CBE is recognized for his extensive career in marketing leadership, notably for his nearly four-decade tenure at Unilever, a global leader in consumer goods and advertising. Weed began his professional journey as an engineer before joining Unilever as a marketer. Throughout his career at Unilever, he served as chairman of Lever Fabergé and Unilever Export, holding various global and regional roles in the United Kingdom, France, and the United States, spanning general management and marketing.

Weed spent more than 30 years at Unilever, ultimately serving as chief marketing and communications officer, where he sat on the Unilever Executive Board and was responsible for marketing, communications, and sustainability. In this role, he oversaw marketing for brands such as Dove and Ben & Jerry's, managing a multi-billion-pound budget. Weed pioneered the integration of sustainability into business strategy, leading the creation of a sustainable living plan aimed at growing Unilever, reducing its environmental footprint, and increasing its social impact. He also integrated sustainable growth throughout the company by dissolving the corporate social responsibility department.

During his tenure, Unilever achieved consistent sales and profit growth while advancing sustainability initiatives. Weed delivered a TED Talk on climate change, emphasizing the compatibility of sustainability and economic growth. He also drove advances in digital and influencer marketing, championing the "3Vs"—Viewability, Verification, and Value—across the advertising industry.

Weed led efforts to address stereotypes in advertising and co-founded the #Unstereotype Alliance with UN Women, uniting more than 1,000 companies to eliminate unhelpful stereotypes from advertising. He is noted for his work with the Dove brand and its 'Real Beauty' campaign, which focused on building brand purpose.

His accolades include being named to Forbes' "World's Most Influential CMO" list, the World Federation of Advertisers' "Global Marketer of the Year," and The Drum's Lifetime Achievement Award. Weed has also been recognized in the Financial Times HERoes list as a Champion of Women in Business and was voted Marketers' Marketer of the Year by Campaign readers. He received an Honorary Fellowship from the Institute of Practitioners in Advertising.

Following his time at Unilever, Weed has continued to contribute to the business and marketing sectors. He serves as a non-executive director on the boards of Sainsbury's plc and WPP plc and is president of the Royal Horticultural Society. Weed was appointed Commander of the Order of the British Empire (CBE) for services to the advertising and marketing industry and serves as chair of the UK Chapter of the Unstereotype Alliance. He is also a trustee of Grange Park Opera and a fellow of both The Marketing Society and the Institution of Mechanical Engineers. Weed remains active in shaping discussions on brand purpose, digital responsibility, and sustainable business practices.