Unilever's outgoing CEO Hein Schumacher said in an email after the surprise news of his departure on Tuesday that the board wanted to accelerate the pace of change and realise swift value creation under new leadership.

The surprise exit of Hein Schumacher comes less than two years after he took on the top role at the consumer-goods giant.

Unilever has ousted CEO Hein Schumacher after less than two years at the helm, as the consumer goods giant seeks to speed up its turnaround plans.

Unilever's board, which includes billionaire activist investor Nelson Peltz, was unified in its decision to oust CEO Hein Schumacher, a source familiar with the board's thinking told Reuters. The boar