Schumacher defended his approach and record as CEO and said he regretted leaving Unilever earlier than anticipated.

Unilever stunned investors on Tuesday by moving to replace chief executive Hein Schumacher with finance chief Fernando Fernandez, who will take on the tough task of reviving the consumer group's performance.

In a surprise announcement, Unilever said its CEO was leaving and Fernando Fernandez, currently Unilever's chief financial officer and executive director, will replace him on March 1.