"There is a huge amount of pressure on consumer goods CEOs," said Richard Sumner, managing partner of the Consumer Markets Practice for Europe and Africa at executive search firm Heidrick & Struggles (NASDAQ: HSII ). He pointed to increased activism from investors and CEOs being forced to drive innovation in the face of challenged margins and sales performance. 'ROCKY ROAD' In 2023, Alan Jope, the former CEO of Unilever (LON: ULVR ), the London-based maker of Dove soap, was out after less than five years as the company tried to offload its ice cream brands. Activist investment firm Trian Fund Management which has a seat on Unilever's board, endorsed Jope's successor. Miguel Patricio led Kraft Heinz (NASDAQ: KHC ) for 4-1/2 years until late 2023 and while he remains a board member, the company said its change in leadership reflected thoughtful succession planning with an eye to growth.